How IISc discovery recycles waste milk packets into building materials

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have discovered a way to recycle waste milk packets made of polyethylene into strong building materials, such as benches and podiums. This breakthrough could help solve the mounting garbage problem caused by the widespread use of single-use milk packets. According to Professor Suryasarathi Bose, a team member, the choice of milk packets as study material was due to their prevalence in public bins and roadsides, where they take longer to get picked up by ragpickers compared to other waste items like plastic bottles.

The recycling process involves mixing polyethylene from milk packets with polypropylene, which is used in oil and shampoo containers. Vitrimers - molecules that allow the combination of otherwise non-similar materials - aid in forming a new recycled material. The resulting material is strong enough to be used for outdoor furniture and podiums, with one podium already tested at IISc.

Another company, Unified Intelligence, is using multi-layer plastics, commonly found in snack packaging, to create durable building materials, including interior walls at Bengaluru Airport's Terminal 1. While these recycled materials are slightly more expensive than traditional building materials, they offer faster construction times and reduced water usage.

However, companies in this field face challenges such as lack of basic standards for unusual building materials and potential resistance from the public.