Binish Desai converting Biomedical waste in Eco-friendly bricks. Credits: Facebook.
27-year-old Binish Desai, known as the recycle man of India, is recycling bio-medical waste especially single-use masks, head cover, and non-woven PPE kit into bricks
- News18.com
- Last Updated: August 17, 2020, 12:50 PM IST
Millions of used gloves, PPE, and other medical waste are being processed in repositories which are now a significant source of contamination in the country. Coronavirus medical waste has become a new source of pollution as PPEs and masks also flood our oceans.
However, this 27-year-old environmentalist and innovator from Gujarat has a unique solution to this problem. Popularly known as “The Recycle Man of India”, Binish Desai (27) is now creating eco-friendly bricks out of PPE kits and masks made from non-woven fabric to help decrease the burden on the environment.
According to a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the National Green Tribunal, India generates about 101 Metric Tonnes per day (MT/day) of COVID-19 related biomedical waste. This quantity is in addition to the normal biomedical waste generation of about 609 MT/day.
Earlier, Binish had developed P-bricks, which was mainly made from paper waste, leftovers of chewing gum, some organic binders, and plant extracts.
P-Block 2.0
The bricks will contain 52 percent of shredded PPE and masks, three percent of the binder, and 45 percent paper waste. They will be water-repellant, fire retardant, and pest resistant.
“The process of making the brick is similar to the P-Block, and I added PPE made from non-woven fabric which includes masks, gowns, and head-covers. I started experimenting with the method in my home-lab, and soon made a few in my factory,” Binish told to TheBetterIndian
Once through with the process, he sent bricks to a local laboratory to check and authorize the material as amid pandemic they cannot reach the national laboratory.
Each brick is 12 x 8 x 4 inches in size, and it uses 7 kg of biomedical waste per square foot. Binish claims it is lighter, and stronger compared to the P-Block 1.0 and costs Rs 2.8 per piece.
Biomedical Waste Collection Process
Binish plans to introduce something called Eco Bins, which will help them to collect the waste generated in hospitals, police stations, other places where the staff or people are using PPE kits and medical-grade masks.
The bins will have an indication mark to show that it is full. Once it reaches that mark, the waste is left untouched for the next 72 hours, and then it will be disinfected thoroughly. Once that is done, it is shredded, added along with paper sludge and the binding agent.
Once developed, these bricks can be used for construction purposes. However, Binish tells it is his dream to build cost-effective, portable isolation wards that can be supplied across the country easily.
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