Meet The 23-Yr-Old Who Built 1,000 Toilets Using Industrial Wastes & Empowered Unskilled Women In Gujarat

Meet The 23-Yr-Old Who Built 1,000 Toilets Using Industrial Wastes & Empowered Unskilled Women In Gujarat

  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo
  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo
  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo

Binish Desai was just 11 when he invented a brick out of paper waste and chewing gum. Binish is an innovator and a social entrepreneur now. His zeal and dedication of serving the society and its people are an inspiration to all of us.


Invention of bricks

One fine day, Binish Desai, now 23, from Valsad, Gujrat, was sitting in his classroom. He wrapped a chewing gum in the piece of paper and put it in his pocket. He forgot to throw it and at the end of the day, he found the paper and chewing gum glued together and hardened into a thick, stiff block.

“I was in my class, and a chewing gum got stuck to my pants, I could not go outside the class to throw it out as the class was going on. So, I took a paper and wrapped it in it, and later I found the stuff got really hard,” said Desai, adding that he started wondering that what can be done out of this and got very curious about it. Desai was just a class six student when he created the first prototype of P-block by wrapping a chewing gum in the paper.

That was the moment when Desai got the idea of designing a brick using waste paper and chewing gum altogether. Since the day he kept experimenting with the idea and started his company at the age of 16.

Desai had replaced the chewing gum with a better organic binder and refined the process. It took him a lot of effort to persuade industrialists to give away the paper sludge, but once he managed to persuade them, he got no obstacle in his way. Till this date, Desai has built close to 1000 toilets across Gujrat, Hyderabad and Pali in Maharashtra.


Toilets made of P-block bricks

Desai says, “These P-blocs are pest resistant, fire retardant, cost effective, suitable for earthquake-prone regions, eco-friendly and they have a higher compressive strength. These bricks can also be used as a substitute for wood, cement and concrete.”


Introduction of new technology Eco-Lights

To develop skills and empower women in rural areas and to eliminate the concept of waste by converting it into an asset, Desai founded the organisation “Eco Eclectic Technology” on 12 August 2016, which is heading forward with a mission to become pioneers in domestic and industrial waste recycling innovations.

Desai’s birthday was on 12 August, and he wanted to launch his new invented technology on his birthday because he wanted to make sure that his name is fruitful to what he is doing and the society. “The meaning of my name-’Binish’ is “without darkness spreading light”,” said Desai with an amazing melody in his voice.


‘Lights’ is a unique initiative started by Binish Desai. Desai says, “The main purpose of it is to spread awareness about recycling through the handcrafted masterpieces. These are no ordinary lamps but are entirely made from waste.” He further said that they also make sure to consider each detail about these lamps like; the design, the carving and the finish to appreciate their beauty.

  • Each Lamp is hand made by unskilled women who have been
    trained to make the bricks and then carve them into lamps.
    All the components are made by micro enterprises.
  • Each Lamp helps recycle between 4-30kg of waste from
    entering the landfills. The special patented technology helps
    convert waste into a masterpiece.

Desai’s ‘Eco -Eclectic’

Desai who has made these P-block bricks from the waste produced by paper mills is using his patented technology to create sustainable rural infrastructure. His company known as ‘Eco-Eclectic Technologies’, has produced these bricks which are durable and making them incredibly utilitarian raw material.


He currently has 19 inventions under the Eco Eclectic Technologies in India. Desai says, “We have developed more than 40 products with 115 plus different applications. We have also recycled 600 plus tonnes of waste respectively.”

Desai’s ‘BDream’ collaborates with other companies and takes up projects for the construction of toilets in rural areas, under corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Desai’s grandfather was also a social worker, coming from a family of social workers, Binish was always enthusiastic about helping others. This is why he expanded his business from merely creating the bricks to building eco-friendly toilets in rural areas. “The cost for one toilet ranges from Rs 9,000 to Rs 30,000 depending on its area,” said Desai.

When The Logical Indian asked Desai about the problems, he had to encounter during his work he said, “Many people were sceptical about the durability of these bricks. Thinking that the bricks are made from paper waste, people said they would collapse in case of any high-impact disruption.”

He added, “But the research and comparison matrix with traditional bricks show how these paper-waste-based bricks are cheaper, better on water absorbency, larger in size and less energy consuming during manual production,”

The main elements of P-block bricks come from the specially formulated gum base, which binds together the brick and offers it its high durability. These bricks are made by the hand press method, using paper sludge. The sludge has no other use and is sold by paper mills for landfill use.


Experiments with gypsum waste, metal waste, textile waste etc.

Desai also started doing experiments with gypsum waste, textile waste and other various types of secondary paper waste such sludge from cardboard and craft paper. He conducts sessions in local schools and colleges while encouraging students to take up various waste management issues.

He has designed different kinds of products like artificial wood made from wastes like; textile waste, paper waste and plastic waste and paver blocks crafted from metal, construction and demolition waste as well. For his work, he was selected for “30 UNDER 30” by Forbes, in 2018.

Binish Desai says, “Our country will become truly clean when the waste is used in a sustainable way rather than being thrown in landfills.”

With #MySocialResponsibility, we aim to bring you more inspiring stories of individuals and organisations across the globe. If you also know about any changemakers, share their story at [email protected] and we'll spread the word.

Contributors Suggest Correction
Editor : Rafia Rahim Rahim

Must Reads