From festival waste to study tables: Mumbai duo recycles idols
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Malhar Kaalambe and Dr Binish Desai in Mumbai, India, partnered to recycle plaster of Paris (POP) from discarded Ganpati idols after the annual visarjan ceremony.
Every year, around 1.5 lakh POP idols are immersed in Mumbai, creating nearly 675 tonnes of waste that does not easily dissolve. Kaalambe questioned whether the broken idols could be repurposed, and he teamed up with Desai, who had developed ‘Murticycle’ technology to process POP.
The pair began collecting broken idols and separating the POP material. Using Murticycle, they transformed the POP into twelve different products, with a focus on creating study tables for children in Maharashtra. Over two years, they recycled more than 3,200 kg of POP to manufacture 760 study tables. These tables provide dedicated learning spaces for children who may not have had access to one, supporting their education.
The initiative also benefits the environment by reducing carbon emissions, each table saves approximately 5,457 grams of CO₂. Kaalambe and Desai demonstrate how festival waste can be given a new life, contributing to both education and environmental sustainability.
