Meet the Recycle man of India, turning used PPE Kits and masks into bricks | Trending - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Meet the Recycle man of India, turning used PPE Kits and masks into bricks

ByLife Beyond Numbers
Jul 26, 2021 02:45 PM IST

This 27-year-old environmentalist has come up with a solution to fix the amount of garbage produced during the pandemic, exceeding India’s waste management capability.

COVID-19 has not just affected livelihood but also threatened the environment. The single-use surgical masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits generate a massive amount of biomedical waste ending up in the seashores and landfills.

Dr. Binish Desai, popularly knows as the ‘Recycle Man of India’, is turning biomedical wastes generated during the pandemic into eco-friendly bricks.
Dr. Binish Desai, popularly knows as the ‘Recycle Man of India’, is turning biomedical wastes generated during the pandemic into eco-friendly bricks.

This 27-year-old environmentalist has come up with a solution to fix the amount of garbage produced during the pandemic, exceeding India’s waste management capability.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Dr. Binish Desai, popularly knows as the ‘Recycle Man of India’, is turning biomedical wastes generated during the pandemic into eco-friendly bricks.

Binish Desai
Binish Desai

“When I was 11 years old, I was in my classroom, I wrapped chewing gum with a piece of paper. I put it inside my pocket and forgot to throw it away. After a couple of days, I found the same in my pocket. It had hardened and looked like a solid block. This gave me an idea to come up with advanced brick 1.0. In 2010, at the age of 16, I founded my firm, Eco-Eclectic Tech Group,“ Binish Desai said, speaking to Life Beyond Numbers.

Binish then produced the prototype of a P-block by wrapping chewing gum in the paper.

“Brick 2.0 is an advanced version of brick 1.0, made using waste paper and binders. Now, we have added components such as used PPE and masks, which account for 52 percent of the total, while the rest is made up of paper waste and a binder,” he said.

Brick 2.0 is three times stronger than any red bricks. It adheres nicely to the plaster, is lighter, recyclable, and costs half as much as the conventional bricks.

The production method is simple and more environmentally friendly.

Brick 2.0 being used in an office wall
Brick 2.0 being used in an office wall

Not just in India, they are now getting calls from all over the world enquiring about the products and getting orders from Australia, the United States, the Philippines, and Brazil.

Pooja Entertainment, a production house, is now collaborating with Dr. Binish Desai to recycle its production waste and reduce its carbon footprint.

“I was worried about the biomedical waste produced like masks and PPE kits during the shoots. We decided to have a sustainable environment in the sets, and having Dr. Binish onboard has made that possible. We will make sure that eco-friendly is a part of our productions, whether it’s the building materials used to design buildings on sets, the plastic utilized, PPE kits and masks, or perhaps even the tea and coffee sediments.” Producer Deepshikha Deshmukh said.

Binish says, “For the first time I am collaborating with a film production house. The aim of Pooja Entertainment and its commitment to change surprised me and I am looking forward to work towards creating a change together through sustainability.”

Ida is the latest project where Binish and his team is going to make crockery out of waste.

Hailing from a small town in Surat, his family members were against his passion. But it’s his will and passion towards his work that brought him this far.

“I always follow four things; observe, fail, learn and solve. I see India as a leading solution provider of zero-waste technologies where we make locally and sell globally. India has recycling and reuse in our culture and, our moms are the biggest recyclers. So let us get inspired by our roots and innovate,” he added.

Dr. Binish Desai aims to create a solution to every type of waste in India and make it a zero-waste country by 2025.

This story was first published in Life Beyond Numbers.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch Now!

Get Current Updates on India News, PM Narendra Modi Live, Farmers Protest Live Updates along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On