CHENNAI: One of the pitfalls of growing demand for housing and urban spaces is the mounting construction debris. Disposal of construction and demolition waste is emerging as a major challenge and posing environment hazard.
To address this problem, a group of students from Kongu Engineering College in Erode has come up with a novel technology through which low-cost bricks can be produced by recycling the construction debris. The idea has found merit with IIT Madras, which has decided to incubate the company.
Chennai generates close to 1,200 tonnes of construction debris per day and less than one per cent is recycled.
Initially, two students — M Diwakar and V Balakarthikeyan — had developed the technology mentored by their professor G S Rampradheep. Later, four other students joined the team as the idea was viewed as a lucrative venture. Corporate giants like Godrej and Tata Steel have expressed interest on using the technology to recycle their waste.
According to Rampradheep, debris has been recycled into construction material such as bricks and interlocking pavers. “We have tested the bricks for density and durability in 12 nationally reputed institutes and results showed they are stronger and more durable than conventional bricks and concrete blocks,” he said, adding that while the conventional paver block costs `15, the recycled block costs `1.50.
The students said the debris sourced from construction sites are broken down into particles of different diametres. These are then powdered down by a pulverising machine. The crushed material is then mixed with sodium silicate that acts as an agent to reduce porosity, increase durability and help the material bind well. The mixture then undergoes carbonation process where carbon dioxide is injected into it, mixed with cement and water, and then moulded into blocks.