Product development with recycled materials at GARBAGEMAN

Organic waste is not the only waste that gets processed at GARBAGEMAN's facility, there is plenty of plastic bottles, and low density packaging that they have collected, cleaned and stored for processing. Each piece a valuable resource that is waiting to be transformed into some else, a new story to be told.

Initially we were going to be using 3 Precious Plastic machines to shred the plastic and experiment with different possible material concepts that could be utilised for B2C or B2B products. However as the machines still have to arrived, we decided to see what we could create with the very basic of tools and a little creative thought. After a effective brainstorming session we identified 3 products we could design.

The first is a light shade, inspired from the 'IKEA Lotus Lamp'. We used 10 plastic PET bottles of Sprite, cutting the individual petals with scissors and poking holes in specific areas for metal wire to be used to bind the whole thing together. It is made of 5 petals for each segment, with a total of 8 segments. The natural curve of the PET bottles gave a natural curve to the petals and the form of the lamp but its stiffness did not make it an effortless procedure.

The second product is a local street sweeper, which is used all over the country here in Bangladesh. The sweepers are made of the spine of dried palm leaves and are usually wrapped with electric tape to create a long handle that fits into the palm of your hand. We decided we could cut the 5 rounded edges off the bottom of a Sprite bottle and stuff the bottle with the same leaves, and then use a heat gun to shrink the bottle onto the end of the leaves creating a fixed grip.

The final design is a bag which we made from the left over LDPE plastic packaging which often covers sponge cakes at the local tea stalls here. After cleaning and drying the wrappings we placed them down on baking paper and used an iron to heat press the packaging together. When one piece was created we then fused them together using the same process. After some experimenting to find the right amount of plastic sheets needed to create a tougher material, we cut out a template for a tot bag and used a sewing machines at a local tailors shop to create the bag.

VIDEO - A sneak peek inside the organic waste composting facility

Refuse. Reduce. Reuse.

Recycle is a phrase we have been hearing a lot recently. Working with Fahim Uddin Shuvo, who is the founder of GARBAGEMAN, and also the winner of a few startup competitions such as Startup Challenge, Blue Gold Innovation Challenge and Best Startup at YYGoshty accelerator for social businesses.

GARBAGEMAN primarily works to create an efficient, affordable and smooth waste management system by “Upcycling” waste into resource. Aiming to change the socio-economic stance on the system and inspire as well as engage communities in the process.
Out of sight is not out of reality and so it’s important to Fahim that we should take up the responsibility for our actions and bring back the green in our cities and minimize the negative impact done to the environment.

Starting local, GARBAGEMAN collects all the organic and non organic waste in his local area of Uttara, one of the infinite neighbourhood of the huge Dhaka, and processes it at his pilot plant where the waste is organised and cleaned. Their main product so far is 'Regen: Organic Fertilizer', which is much better for the environment because it prevents waste from entering the land fill and is more beneficial for plants growing in Bangladesh, as they use too many pesticides and fertilisers which is reducing the quality of the soil they grow.

Currently GARBAGEMAN has saved 6 tons of organic waste going to landfills in the last 6 month of operation and recycled them successfully into healthy useful soil. Fahim still has a long way to go as Dhaka city produces 5000 tons of Garbage everyday with 70% of it being food waste. We support his project full heartedly and hope to boost awareness about his startup and wish him the best in his challenging endeavour to clean up Dhaka.

VIDEO - Wrap up from Rajshahi

Hello Everyone!

Having tested the design with our filter at the university, it didn't take long to build the new filter in the village. However it wasn't without it's problems, the frame for the rapid sand filter needed some improvements and we found that the cloth we placed in the filter was limiting the water flow too much to the rapid sand filter because of high consentrating of iron. Small and easy challenges to overcome.
Now the filter is up and running we tested it our selves and got good results. As we are only able to test for arsenic we have sent some samples of the filtered water to the DPHE who will test for other contaminates. This means the villagers can not drink the water from the filter yet but they can certainly cook with it as the boiling of the water will remove potentially harmful contaminates.

Today is our last day in RUET, we fly back to Dhaka to begin the other half of the journey.

For our short talk we are joined by Tonmoy Ahmed, Graduate Civil Engineer from RUET, who has been our local support throughout all our adventures here in Rajshahi. Thank you Tonmoy!!

Enjoy!

VIDEO - Assembling the filter from scratch in the village in less than 3 hours!

Utter kazirpara is a small village just on the fringe of Rajshahi, and is the location where we went to build the filter with the villagers. Our aim was to demonstrate how quickly one could be constructed and get feedback from the villagers on the design.
We loaded an 'auto' (a local electric tuk-tuk) with all the materials, bamboo, tools, water containers, rope, wire and filter components and began the journey. You first notice the natural beauty of the village and it's surrounding farm lands, there is an abundance of sugar cane, wheat fields, coconut, lichee, peach, and mango trees, every now and then you see Jack fruit, the countries national fruit. The overall feeling at the village is quite laid back but there is a lot of life around, many chickens with their chicks, ducks, goats, cows and water buffalo add to the serene ambience, it's a real Bangladeshi Charlottes web.
Our timing couldn't have been better! Especially as it began to rain and threaten to storm as we arrived…

Enjoy!

VIDEO - Household filter components and installation

Yesterday we constructed the water filter in the water treatment lab at RUET university.

The video explains the individual components that are needed in the embodiment of the household water filter and gives a short time lapse of its construction, followed by an explanation of the theory behind the system.

This is the first time we will be revealing the design here without the plastic components. So far the bamboo hacks we created work very well and don't take much time to make.

Today we are testing our design with contaminated water from the village. We will continue to test the design and the maintenance needed to be sure that the system's usability works with ease before giving the filter to a household in the village of Uttar Kazirpara.

SOME TECHNICAL EXPLANATIONS ABOUT FILTER’S FUNCTIONING:

Initially the water stays in the Bio-carrier where the AsOB (Arsenic Oxidizing Bacteria) grow, as the Bio carrier has a very large surface area, there is always more space/place for the bacteria to grow.
For the development of the bacteria oxygen and water are needed, therefore the filter has to run continuously.

After passing through the bio carrier the water falls into the sand/anthracite bottle where the supernatant water is exposed to air/oxygen for further oxidation process. Then it passes through the anthracite and sand which clear the minerals like Iron/Manganese, chlorine etc; in the sand column some AsOB further oxidise Arsenic. After sand, water passes through the cloth which absorbs bacteria and then effluence as clean water.

Enjoy the video!

VIDEO - First week in Rajshahi - Collecting materials and start crafting

Today marks the end of our first week at RUET university, what an experience it has been so far. We have had 30 adacha (tea with ginger), 20 selfies, and squished more 100 mosquito's.

Life here at the ruet campus is rather laid back, between the hot weather and the call to prayer we have managed to... get the permissions to use their workshops, source our main materials, get the frame constructed out of bamboo and utilise local materials to construct the housing for the rapid sand filter.

As of yet the manufacturer for the machines has not yet sent the plastic machines and upon going to the villages we noticed that there plastic waste is very minimal; however they do have an abundance of bamboo, hence our choice to focus on using bamboo for the rest of the design.

In other news we have created a new group called Mission Plastic - RUET which was initiated on their independence day with a total of 15 students and quickly grown to above 50 students. It's purpose is to create a community around recycling plastic.

Our aim for the next week, is to complete the design and test the system we have with contaminated water over the week period, as well as create a how to make document which will be shared with the villages and ruet university.

RUET Mission Plastics - Initiate students' community on recycling and repurposing plastic waste

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The most durable plastics products, such as bottles can take 450 years to biodegrade, most end up in land fills or worse into the oceans where they are consumed by marine life and ultimately by us down the line. Plastic waste is a huge problem for both the developing and developed world, therefore it is important to take responsibility to recycle and repurpose plastic waste. A simple plastic bottle cap is more than its function; a material with innate potential to be something else.

There has been a buzz in the atmosphere around the RUET campus as it is a national holiday today, celebrating Bangladesh’s Interdependence from Pakistan on the 25 March 1971, by the undisputed leader and Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On this this day we also decided to start a project here at RUET to inspire a community of students to create systems to recycle, repurpose and make their own products out of plastic waste. Calling this initiative ‘Mission Plastic’, we called out to the RUET students to come along to a presentation and join the conversation about recycling plastic in Bangladesh.

A total of 15 students came to the talk, interested in participating in the development of products with recycled plastics. Our presentation introduced the Deltap Project with an explanation of why plastic waste should be recycled, followed by an explanation of the machines. Two machines will be delivered, one plastic shredder and one plastic extruder, which will be assembled and placed in the Civil Engineering Faculties workshop on the campus. Lucky for us all the students are studying engineering related courses and were also keen to support us in assembling the Precious Plastic’s machines.

In the run up to this event we have been trying to collect raw material to experiment with once the machines arrive, with the support of our big brother (borobuy) Tonmoy Ahmed we created posters, which are accompanied with a bag to collect HDPE plastic caps. This was enough to peek the interest of the students who came to the event, from now on it is in their hands to push the plastic recycling movement in RUET and beyond. Our main aim was to get the students inspired enough to make a group and share information about recycling plastic, create some systems of recycling and ultimately collect plastic for themselves to make products with the two machines. We believe we have been successful! :)

A facebook group has been created to support the initiative and share content related to recycle and Precious Plastics machines:

https://web.facebook.com/groups/880376285629272/

VIDEO - From Dhaka with love. Short update and meeting GarbageMan

Hello everyone! We made it to Bangladesh! Phew! In this video we explain our first impressions and talk about what we have been up to and why. Then we introduce the 'Garbageman' - A young and inspiring entrepreneur who is trying to clean up Dhaka and help the environment with his social business.

It can be an overwhelming first impression, but if you’re willing to explore underneath all that chaos, you’ll find a city with charm. As daunting as it is to jump into the city, the friendliness of the people makes it easier to move around but we are also very lucky to have local support here. No matter where you are in Dhaka, there’s something going on. Filled with chaotic streets, buzzing markets, busy atmosphere and energy, its impossible to get bored in Dhaka.

Enjoy!