Question

How has plastic waste been converted into resources by Ahmed Khan of Bengaluru? What value can be learnt from it?

Answer 1

Hint: Even though plastic is a non-biodegradable resource and harmful towards the environment, Ahmed Khan showed that by upcycling plastic and incorporating it with other substances, something of great importance can be developed. Plastic can be mixed with other materials to provide qualities toa product that would otherwise not be possible. This method employed by him also aimed at utilising public plastic waste.

Complete answer:
Ahmed Khan worked in a company in Bangalore that manufactured plastic sacks. He used to produce the sacks from plastic waste which eventually led to the production of more harmful waste. He then realised that he could do something better with the plastic waste that he received.

He converted the waste plastic into a powdered form, called polyblend, and decided to combine it with bitumen.
The polyblend-bitumen mixture was used to carpet the roads. It was observed that this mixture increased water-repelling ability of the roads, thereby increasing their durability.

The roads in India have an average life of three to four years under optimum conditions. They undergo deterioration during the monsoons due to excess water. This leads to the formation of potholes in the roads that can be dangerous for people driving on the roads.

So, using the polyblend-bitumen mix proved to be beneficial as it increased the life of roads and prevented potholes. This made the roads of Bangalore safe to drive on.
Also, this practice ensured that there was no plastic waste which in turn benefited the environment.

This one step taken by Ahmed Khan changed the game for plastic waste. This shows us that with will power and determination, no idea is small. He showed us that something as dangerous as plastic can be used positively. It also makes us understand the importance of protecting the environment by minimising waste.

Note: Rag pickers are the ones who are majorly responsible to collect plastic from dustbins, landfills and roadside waste dumps and provide them to middlemen to pay them very little to do so. Ahmed Khan decided to buy the plastic from these rag pickers at a rate higher than the market. He aims to create a network that results in zero plastic in garbage.