Gre-Cycling - Going Green | Dell Social Innovation Challenge

Gre-Cycling - Going Green

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The project aims to collect different types of waste materials which include plastic,paper,sewage empty cans and many others. Of all these materials, plastics will be recycled for fuel and the rest disposed properly

Standings & Awards

34 out of 591 in Africa
7 out of 179 in Poverty
35 out of 935 in Design
33 out of 992 in Charitable
94 out of 4003 Overall

10

VOTES

BOOST-SIFEMSU

Turning dirt into economic empowerment through the concept of RECYCLE, REDUCE, REUSE and REVENUE

Gre-cycling is a project aimed at recycling waste to generate income. The first step of this pilot project is to recycle plastics in to diesel and other by products. Once the success of this project is achieved focus will be on bio-material/sewage, paper and cans. The project will be located in Senga one of the poorest high density suburb in Gweru, Zimbabwe. It aims to curb the environmental degradation in the area which is highly polluted because of over population that occurs during the Midlands State University semester. The result of the environmental degradation has resulted in unsavoury living conditions and disease outbreaks.

The project aims to enlighten the community on how to keep a clean environment and how to be entrepreneurs in environmentally conducive ways. It also aims to clean and repair a damaged environment, to provide cheap and alternative fuel solutions for the community, to build and repair dilapidated infrastructure and to create job opportunities.

Through the assistance of the University’s, Science and Technology department a simple and effective method of converting plastics to diesel will be used. This method uses a machine that can theoretically convert 60 kgs of plastic into 60 litres of diesel. By products of this process include candle wax and cheap floor polish. Senga as the nearby community was selected as the pilot location therefore if this project is successful, it will expand to other communities.

In order to achieve this, we need to manufacture the equipment then launch a massive cleanup campaign. Lastly the rubbish that is not plastic will be recycled in the later stages of the project.

Once the final product is produced the fuel is sold to the Senga and surrounding communities which are predominantly agricultural areas. The profits that are generated are then channelled towards either project or community development. Although the project is going to start with one initial model it aims at further developing and perfecting the process. The initial profits will be used to further other materials like cans and cans.

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation?

The plastic recycling equipment produces diesel fuel while candle wax and floor polish are by products. Producing the diesel fuel in bulk costs approximately $0.20 a litre and the selling price is $1.00 a litre, saving $0.32 from the current price of $1.32 which is affordable to the local community. This project aims to rescue an environmentally endangered community from a costly health hazard. Proceeds from the project go directly towards the improvement of the whole community.

2. Who gains the most?

The local community will benefit through revenue generation, job creation and a clean environment. The profits that the project makes will go towards infrastructural development of the community. The community has seen more than 20 years of dirt roads, high unemployment rates as well as unprotected water sources. All the proceeds are aimed to make these a thing of the past. The project will also lessen the burden of the city council in terms of refuse collection and sewage maintenance.

3. Who pays?

MSU and private companies and institutions will pay for the project equipment. This is a profit making project. The SIFE-MSU team will try to establish the initial funds to develop the first machine model however sponsorship and assistance from various donors including the university would be greatly appreciated. Customers will get far cheaper fuel than the market value giving them cheaper living and operational costs.

4. What is your success?

Within 3 months we aim to have lower unemployment, more energy options, cleaner local environment, scholarships for children, lower refuse handling costs, reduction in disease outbreaks, higher living standards and alternative sources of income. Machines built will be donated or sold to the community. When the community is able to operate independently, the SIFE-MSU team will cease to be active participants and hand over to the trained community participants but maintain the role of overseers

5. How will you do it?

SIFE-MSU after building a model machine and testing it will engage the community to do regular clean up campaigns to educate them. The collected rubbish will then either be properly recycled or sent for processing into fuel. The fuel produced will be sold back to the community and surrounding areas at a cheaper price and profits will go to either building a new machine or community development.