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Vashi2Panvel.Com: Navi Mumbai: Sept 14: With so many buildings in Mumbai collapsing, there is a huge issue of debris disposal. CIDCO-YUVA Building Centre (CYBC) may be able to provide a better option to the hassled corporators. The CIDCO-YUVA Centre, Kharghar has come up with a way to produce bricks usable for construction--built completely from debis!

Promoted by the Ministry of Urban Development, CYBC is currently involved in an innovative solid waste management programme. A plant has been set up to process available debris to make products and raw materials for building applications. Says Sanjay Chaturvedi, Centre Administrator at Kharghar, “ Today there is problem of land. Mountains and hills are being torn down to get mud and clay for making bricks. In such a situation, such a technology is extremely eco-friendly and there won’t be problems for debris disposal any more.” The aim of the project is to recycle debris-mainly construction waste, which amounts to almost 2000 tonnes per day in the cities so as to develop new low cost environment friendly construction products. This initiative seeks to find an alternative to reduce cost and the consumption of natural resources while better managing our waste. In doing, the project will help local authorities dispose debris generated in cities like Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

The process involves pulverization of materials that are generally found in demolitions, renovations, repairs etc. These are old plasters, bricks, bats, concrete blocks, various stone wastes etc. The products, which have been developed, include Cement Debris Bricks costing Rs 1.35 per brick, Interlocking Pavers of S- design costing Rs 16 per sq feet and Concrete M25 made by replacing sand with recycled debris. All the materials have been tested at CIDCO and Structwel Laboratory.

The products can be used in lean concrete and also instead of mortar in masonry. They can also be used for making pre-cast products, rendering plaster to external wall surfaces, and as bedding mortar for pavement tiles.

Recycling banks will be set up to enable citizens to deposit their debris. The recycled material is also expected to reduce the cost of concrete, mortar and bricks. Presently, the handicap for the project is the low production capacity in Kharghar. Says Chaturvedi, “CIDCO has approved the project and at present there are negotiations for a small project. Right now we can’t do it with any private builder because we wont be able to meet the demand for bricks and other products. But the future looks very bright as even the BMC has shown an interest,” he beams.

Lakshmi Subramanian