As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, a new challenge- how to deal with �corona waste�- discarded masks, PPE kits, gloves and sanitizer bottles- has emerged. Binish Desai, a 27-year-old Gujarat-based environmentalist popularly known as the Recycle Man of India, has innovated a way to handle the problem. He has claimed to have developed �eco-friendly bricks� from discarded PPE kits and masks. Desai said that initially when the government imposed the lockdown to wind down the spread of the viral infection, people were talking about its environmental benefits. But, he was wondering what the increasing demand for masks and PPE kits would result in. In April, he began research in his laboratory to find a solution to the problem.

'Corona waste' made of non-woven fabric used
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Desai in 2010 had designed P-Block (bricks from chewing gum leftovers and industrial paper). Using a similar process, he has now developed Brick 2.0 using �corona waste�. �I added PPE made from non-woven fabric which includes masks, gowns, and head-covers. I started experimenting with the method in my home-lab, and soon made a few in my factory,� Desai told The Better India. The environmentalist added that Brick 2.0 is lighter and stronger then P-Block.
Desai has got Brick 2.0 certified by a local laboratory. He said that he couldn�t approach national-level labs for approval due to the pandemic situation. He told, �During the prototype testing, it passed all the tests for durability, and even surpassed expectations on the quality.�

Brick 2.0's mass production
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Desai said that the process of securing no objection certificate (NOC) from concerned authorities and collaborating with government institutions is underway. He is hopeful of starting Brick 2.0�s mass production from September.