I USED TO BE A TIRE…….
It was calculated that approximately 3 billion automobile tires were produced worldwide in 2019 alone!!! And after use these are thrown away. Tires are one among the most problematic and challenging sources of solid wastes on earth today….
Most of the times after the use tires are usually thrown away.
Problematically, these tires end up in tire landfills, where they cause contamination of the local environment through leachate (the liquid that percolates through waste sites and into the ground) or worse. And when they are burned, they release toxic gases into the atmosphere.
They also become the home ground for mosquitoes and rodents which are responsible for carrying many diseases.
The best solution for this issue is tire recycling.
Tire recycling, also known as rubber recycling, refers to the process of recycling used vehicle tires that can no longer be used on the vehicles due to wear and tear or irreparable damage.
One of the major issues in tire recycling is the durability of tires as they are very hard to break down and therefore are seen lying in open space in large heaps.
The following are the major steps involved in tire recycling process:
1. Collection of Used or Worn Out Tires :In every recycling process collection is usually the first step.
2. Whole Tire Processing: Processing basically starts with cutting the tires into tiny pieces. This is an important step that aims to reduce the volume of the tires and create a material that can be handled easily.
3. Steel Liberation Stage: The tire shreds obtained from previous step are processed and prepared for the elimination and separation of the tire wire from the rubber. This important step includes fiber separation and course screening. Tires contain steel wires for resilience, strength and versatility. The steel wires are removed, recycled and sent to steel rolling mills for the manufacture of new steel.
4.Screening and Milling Stage: Once the wires are separated from the rubber, the next stage is screening. This involves careful observation of the rubber to ensure there are no more wires or other contamination s.
5. Cleaning Stage: Once the screening process is complete, the next step is the cleaning stage. Here, the rubber obtained from the screening and milling stage is thoroughly cleaned. This process involves the use of water and other cleaning agents to thoroughly clean the rubber. Once the clean rubber is obtained, it can be packed and transported to other factories that require rubber as a raw material in their processing plants
And this rubber is going to be used here for my project.
We all use smart phones that comes in different specs and price range.
But we all do have something in common that we use in smart phones apart from sim card, and that is a phone case. Its highly recommended and ideal to use a good quality to extend the life of your phone.
The common issue with phone cases are they lack a good grip. The most common reason for this is majority of the phone comes with a plastic case. (which is non-biodegradable)
To get started I started observing the nature for solution. And finally, one day I noticed a snake moving on a smooth surface outside my house. I observed that even though it was moving on a smooth surface it managed to get good grip on the floor with the help of its scales (The scales have invisibly small structures called fibrils, and these fibrils helps them to generate friction on the ground)
Ideation and product sketches
This phone case is designed by taking inspiration from snakes scales on its belly. The scales of the snakes have small structures called fibrils that helps them in increasing the friction on the ground while moving(crawling)
The 3 dimensional structure gives the case a better grip on its back side.The case also have small scales like design on its sides and edges ,this will help the user to get a better grip on the device while using it.So that the chance of slipping the phone while using is highly reduced.
The case also comes with a 1 mm thickness frame around its camera unit to provide protection for camera bump.
In conclusion, it is important to recycle any solid waste including tires to ensure that the environment clean
The benefits include reduction in landfills space, reduction in releases of toxic chemical into the air, Prevent the spread of diseases which could occur by piling of the tires in the landfills sites..
This project aims to approach the ever evolving turmoil regarding the waste management, in the background of a sustainable and green future envisioned for a better and safe environment. I think this can be a small contribution to a larger holistic leap towards a sustainable world where man and nature can coexist. For this, a commercially viable method to sustain the nature is required. This is where new strategies and untrotted paths come in. The only pragmatic choice is to let these small milestones go hand in hand with commercially viable methodologies.
