Innovation

Keeping this dream in mind, two young engineering graduates start working on a college project which deals with the prevalent sewage treatment problem. Mr. Akshat Tyagi and Mr. Raghavendraprasad Suryavanshi started their journey from there and never looked back again. They collaborated with government institutions and started working on the problem and soon installed the first sewage treatment plant at the campus. With the motto "giving back to nature" they have started working further onto this and established an organization "Sustainable BioSolutions LLP". They have come up with several innovative ways to solve waste management issues.

They have also collaborated with some major organizations:

1. Technical collaboration with INRA France for developing SBR technology.

2. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for “Nisarga Runa” biogas technology.

Sustainable Biosolutions is committed to providing reusable quality treated water. Their sewage treatment plants (STP) fulfills both Indian (Pollution Control Board) and International (European) norms. They undertake design, installation, troubleshooting, revamping and maintenance of STPs at various scales.

They have developed SUSBIOTM SBR a revolutionary Sewage Treatment Technology in collaboration with INRA a French Government Institution.

The Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) is a modified activated sludge process in which naturally occurring aerobic microorganisms are utilized to eliminate the organic pollutants contained in the wastewater. SBR works in sequences of batch processes scientifically designed to overcome problems associated with old fashioned continuous processes (MBBR, FAB, MBR, etc.)

The company has designed and installed STP/ETP in the scale ranging from 10KLD to 250KLD and possesses the capacity to install up to 10 MLD scale. We are providing annual maintenance contracts to many domestic, institutional and corporate clients.

Inspiration

“We wanted to solve the problem of sewage treatment which we faced on our campus”, said Akshat Tyagi, Director of Sustainable Biosolutions. He and Mr. Raghavendraprasad Suryavanshi were pursuing their M.E in Biotechnology from BITS. Pilani shared their story with us and told that during their final year project they analysed this problem and how much it bothered them. It triggered their entrepreneur skill, and they became adamant towards solving this issue.

They collaborated with INRA France and implemented their SBR (Sequencing batch reactor) technology with little modifications and installed their first product i.e., sewage treatment plant in their campus. Presently, around 6 lakh litres of water is treated and reused in the campus.

This technology helps in producing better quality of recycled water which can be effectively used for toilet flushing, gardening and when further filtered through membranes, this can also be used as drinking water (certified from the health department of Goa)

Sustainable Biosolutions believes in continuous innovation and improvisation of their products. They help clients in reducing their water footprints.

Companies like Sustainable Biosolutions brings innovative solutions and with the help of their technical know-how and services, helps in solving major crises of water scarcity and waste treatment which is faced by every country today.

Overall impact

The first product was a sewage treatment plant that they have installed on their college campus. Now they have several products in liquid and solid waste management, and additionally they have a biogas plants.

Sus-bio uses Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) which is a modified activated sludge process in which naturally occurring aerobic microorganisms are utilized to eliminate the organic pollutants contained in the wastewater. SBR works in sequences of batch processes scientifically designed to overcome problems associated with old fashioned continuous processes (MBBR, FAB, MBR, etc.) so this treated water can be used for further daily usage. From a single installation in Bits Pilani, every day 6 lakh liters of water are treated and reused in gardening, so every day 6 lakhs liters of groundwater are saved. In Mall-de-goa every day 1 lakh liter of water is reused for central cooling so they are also saving every day 1 lakh liter of water. So wherever they have made the installation, the groundwater of that area is saved. Even the very polluted water having high B.O.D. can be treated easily and that treated water can be used for toilet flushing, gardening, or even if it is filtered through membranes it can be used for drinking. This is also certified by the health department of Goa.

Business benefit

The idea of SusBio came out of a final year project of 2 students Mr. Akshat Tyagi and Mr. Raghavendraprasad Suryavanshi who were pursuing their graduation from Bits Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus. Speaking to us on this Mr. Akshat elaborates “We were in our final semester of our Masters in Biotechnology when we came up with the idea of the Sewage Treatment Plant. We went ahead and collaborated with a French Government institute and implemented it in our Campus and we picked it up from there.”

Now the firm Susbio has expanded its roots in the products as mentioned below:

• Sewage Treatment Plants (SUSBIOTM SBR) Effluent Treatment Plants

• Biogas Plants (SUSBIOTM Gas) RO, UF, UV Systems

• Household Organic Composter (SUSBIOTM Bin)

• Rapid composters

• Swimming Pool Treatment Systems Sanitary Napkin Incinerators (SUSBIO)

Currently, the firm sees no competition in the Goa Market and have made their presence felt in Maharashtra & Karnataka markets.

The company has set itself a very ambitious target for the next 5 years: “We are looking to make our presence felt all over India in the next 5 years as we are very confident of our technology and on the price front, we are very competitive.” Mr. Tyagi concluded.

Social and environmental benefit

Oxford dictionary defines waste as “Something which has no purpose.” But deeper investigation reveals that these wastes actually pollute the environment both directly and indirectly.

Susbio works on the concept of generating value out of “no purpose wastes”.

The straightforward benefits of Waste management are:

• Lesser pollution

• Earth Friendly

• Making a difference

Lesser Pollution

In the generalist sense waste and specifically solid waste is usually burnt in some open areas which lead to Air pollution. They also get mixed with water and land directly leading to their respective pollution.

Hence the concept of waste management wherein we usually try to re-use these wastes can help to curb all the above-mentioned pollution sources.

Cleaner Environment

We should all be doing our part to keep our world clean and free from dangerous pollutants. Proper safety measures and waste disposal methods make for a cleaner, safer world with less diseases and lower potential harm to both humans and animals.

When done right, waste management can also conserve energy and reduce dangerous deforestation including cutting down less trees for paper production. Recycling allows discarded waste to be reused and remade into quality papers, rather than killing trees and harming the environment.

Another bonus? The recycling process requires a minimal amount of energy while yielding renewable, eco-friendly products and results. There are so many household products that can be recycled instead of thrown away and left to rot in a landfill. Think paper, plastic, cardboard, and much more. Why not recycle those materials and give the earth a little break?

Making a Difference

Even if you try your best to reduce, reuse, and recycle, your household will generate some waste. In today's world, it's simply impossible to completely steer clear of garbage and waste. Instead, it's best to focus your efforts on making a legitimate difference in the world around you by recycling your waste and following eco-friendly practices.

Now more than ever before, it's so important to treat our planet with respect. Taking steps to be more environmentally friendly is critical to our future.

Interview

Akshat Tyagi, Director