Give this youngster multi-layered plastics (MLP) that fall under non-recyclable plastic, he would mould it into boats.
Elated to have manufactured a four-seater speedboat almost entirely from MLP, which underwent successful trials on Vembanad Lake last week, Tony Thomas N.T., 26, from Aroor in Alappuzha is planning to launch an MLP-based boat-constructing venture.
Test drives successful
“I made the speedboat to demonstrate the idea. The test drives have gone well. As the next step, the concept will be presented before authorities,” says Mr. Thomas who has already started working on a second MLP-based boat for which the design has been prepared by a naval architect.
The 150-kg speedboat built at around ₹1 lakh is 8-ft long and has a width of 4 ft. Apart from the metal frame, the rest of the craft, including the deck, was manufactured using MLP boards, sourced from Karnataka, totalling 110 kg. Most of the boat building was done by Mr. Thomas alone.
The youngster who completed a course in ‘plastic recycling and waste management: waste to wealth’ from the Central Institute of Petrochemical Engineering and Technology is eager to use non-recyclable plastic in the manufacturing of “unique and innovative products.”
“I was born and brought up close to Vembanad Lake, which is threatened by plastic pollution. My father who runs a boat repair unit has several discarded fibre fishing boats that are not recycled. It encouraged me to tour plastic segregation and recycling plants in Karnataka and Gujarat in 2021. They make MLP boards using medicine strips and covers of chocolate, biscuits and curry powder and put them to good use. Following the visit, I started a shop to sell MLP boards sourced from Karnataka but received poor response. I was determined to prove its worth and the idea of building boats came from it,” he says.
For fishers too
Mr. Thomas has eight years of experience in the marine field and holds a lascar certificate issued by the Kerala Maritime Board and a serang licence by the Ports department. He has recently set up a plastic segregation unit. Though it received all government permissions, he was unable to start operations due to the difficulty in procuring plastic. “Once it starts functioning, I will be able to provide plastic to units in Karnataka and in return buy MLP boards from them. I am very hopeful of manufacturing boats using MLP, including for fishers, at reasonable rates with government support,” he says.
