GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL

UNIVERSITY AHMEDABAD

GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING
COLLEGE VALSAD
A Report on:
Manufacturing of soil conditioner using
waste diapers.
DESIGN ENGINEERING
B.E. Semester – 5th
ENVIRONMENT BRANCH
 TEAM MEMBERS:

Sr Name of student Enrollment no.

no.
1 Pande Divya P. 170190113019
2 Pande Jyoti P. 170190113020
3 Rapeli Priyanka N. 170190113045
4 Shah Payal B. 170190113050

PROF. KHYATI MODI

(Faculty guide)
PROF. KHYATI MODI
(Head of department)
Academic year 2019-20
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our special thanks to

our guide prof. Khyati Modi helped us in gaining
knowledge about many things while doing our project.

For this project we took help from several sites,

friends, and faculties.

Our special gratitude is extended to the head

of department and the faculty members of
Environmental engineering department for helping us
and our greatfullness to one and all who are directly or
indirectly involved in the completion of our project
work.
 ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to explore the potential of

super absorbent polymers (SAPs) from used disposable
diapers as Soil moisture retainer and work like soil
conditioner. When this Super absorbent polymers were
mixed with sandy(any kind) of soil the mixture was able to
lose water more slowly. The growth of plant was remarkably
influenced by 0.5,1.0 and 2.0 w/w% of SAPs compared to
the untreated soil. Therefore, it follows that it is possible to
take advantage of SAPs property from used disposable
diapers to retain the moisture in soil as an alternative to
value the use of such waste and conditioning the soil as well
as improve soil structure and add nutrients in soil, showing
that it has potential for agricultural applications. It’s also
emits up to 71% less carbon emissions and that save green
house emissions per year.
 INTRODUCTION

One of the most alarming problems in the world

today is waste management. The generation and disposal of
waste is an intrinsic part of any developing society. A major
problem in urban areas is the generation of solid waste
including used disposable diapers. These items facilitate
human life, but their life span is very short and the
manufacturers do not anticipate its disposal; they are simply
deposited in land fills, causing serious environmental
pollution problems.
The typical composition of a disposable baby
diaper: fluff pulp 36.6%, SAPs 30.7%, polypropylene 6.2%,
low density polyethylene 16%, tape, elastic and adhesive
10.5%.
Waste recycling is an important aspect of
environment sustainability, on the other hand, minimises
waste products placed in landfills, promotes recovery of
materials that can be reused in new productive cycles,
prevents energy usage and consumption of fresh raw
materials and allows to preserve natural resources and the
environment for future generations.
Because of this, the need arises to propose
strategies to mitigate the accumulation of disposable
diapers, through the recovery and use of the super
absorbent polymer in conserving soil moisture. Recently,
the diverse applications of super absorbent polymers are still
being expanded to many fields including agriculture and
sealing composites, horticulture, drilling fluid additives,
artificial snow, medicines and so on. Super absorbent have
been used to help conserve water in a variety of agriculture
and horticulture application. The use of SAPs for stabilizing
soil structure resulted in increasing infiltration and reducing
water used and soil erosion. A major advantage of using
SAPs is its ability to make use of moisture present in soil
such as clay and make it available to the roots.
 The aim of this study was to investigate the
potential of super absorbent polymers from used and
unused disposable diapers and abundantly available solid
waste as a non conventional soil moisture conditioner.
 INDEX OF CANVAS

1. Empathy Canvas
2. Ideation Canvas
3. Product development Canvas
4. AEIOU Canvas
5. Mind map Canvas
6. Learning Need Matrix Canvas
 CANVAS 1 : EMPATHY CANVAS

In this canvas we have to find out who are

users for our project? Who are stakeholders? Which
are the activities? And what are the board stories of
our project?
1. Users : Farmers, Gardeners, shopkeepers, sweepers
2.Stakeholders: Gardeners, sweepers, researchers,
producers, drop off and buy back centers
3. Activities : Moisture retainer
Fertilization
Degradation of used diapers
Determination of the use of SAPs.
Growing plants by using SAPs.
Released locked up nutrients
4. Story Boarding :
1. Happy story : Instead of dumping the used diapers which
contain SAPs, we reuse them as a soil moisture retainer.
Which increases the moisture retention capacity of soil.
So less requirement of water for the growth of plants.
2.Happy story : We reuse used diapers in soil for the growth
of plants. So no need to burn used diapers, which does not
cause carbon emission in atmosphere. So pollution can be
prevented.
3. Sad story : We know that plants which consume too
much water for their growth. So farmers have to provide
water to plants in particular interval because the moisture
retention capacity of soil is not good.
4.Sad story : People use diapers for their babies and throw
away the used diapers into the dustbin. Used diapers are
burnt which leads to the emission of carbon dioxide in
atmosphere, which increases air pollution and global
warming.
 CANVAS 2. : IDEATION CANVAS
From the empathy Canvas we have an idea who
are the people involved in this project. The Ideation
Canvas we have to carry out which type of activities is
related to our project and people? What is situation and
location regarding to activities? Then after we find the
possible solutions. It is depend or not depend to our
activities.
1. Activities : Moisture retainer
Fertilization
Degradation of used diapers.
Determination of the use of SAPs.
Growing plants by using SAPs.
2. People : Farmers, Gardeners, Sweepers, Producers,
Shopkeepers
3. Situations/context/location : SAPs from used and
unused diapers, flowering plants, soil, in summer, for
better growth of plant, increase the moisture retention
capacity of soil, for fertilization, prevention of carbon
dioxide emission, to reuse waste diapers, desert area,
Gardens, flowering plants fields, agricultural field,
nursery
4. Props/Tools/Objects/Equipment : Pots, Rose plants,
Soil, Used and Unused super absorbent polymer
(diapers).
 CANVAS 3 : PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT CANVAS

This Canvas is about development of the

product, define purposes. What are the experiences when
you compare it with other products? Problems for its
applications and its solutions. What are the components
used for its model?
1. Purpose :
Use of waste disposal diapers
Increase the moisture retention
Increase germination
Prevents the use of fertilizers
Agricultural applications
2. People : Farmers, Gardeners, shopkeepers,
sweepers, Researchers, Producers
3. Product Experience :
Good Moisture retainer
Sustained release of the water to soil and
plant roots
Improvement in retention capacity of soil
Fast germination
4. Product Function :
Absorption
Moisturized
Help for less evaporation
Prevents the carbon dioxide emissions in
atmosphere
5. Product Features :
Moisture retention capacity
Biodegradable
Fertilization
6. Components : Super absorbent polymer,
Disposable diapers, Plants, Pots, soil, water ,cow
dung, vegetable waste
 CANVAS 4 : AEIOU CANVAS

It is commonly used for coding

observational data. Organisational frame work help
designers to capture key details in observation, and
AEIOU are very easy mnemonic device to remember
what to look for and write down.
1. Environment :
Prevention of carbon dioxide emissions in
atmosphere
Soil fertilization
Eco-friendly
Longer retention of water
Humid environment
Can be applicable to deserts
2. Interactions : soil-SAPs, roses- soil contain SAPs,
gardens- SAPs, sweepers- waste diapers, researchers-
soil, SAPs, drop off and buy back center- residents
3. Objects : Pots, Rose plants, Soil, Used super absorbent
polymer (SAPs/diapers), vegetable waste ,cow dung,
biochar.
4. Activities :
Moisture retainer
Fertilization
Degradation of used diapers
Determination of the use of SAPs
Growing plants by using SAPs
Released locked up nutrients.
5. Users : Farmers, Gardeners, Shopkeepers, Researchers.
 CANVAS 5 : MIND MAP CANVAS

Graphical technique for visualizing connection

between several ideas or pieces of information. Each Idea
or fact is written down and they link by lines or curves to
its major or minor idea or fact, thus creating a web of
relationship.
1. Activities :
Moisture retainer
Fertilization
Degradation of used diapers
Determination of the use of SAPs
Growing plants by using SAPs
Release locked up nutrients
2. Props : Pots, rose plants, Soil, Used diapers, waste
vegetable, cow dung , biochar.
3. Purpose :
Use of waste diapers
Increase the moisture retention
Increased germination
Prevents the use of fertilizers
Agricultural applications
4. Users : Farmers, Gardeners, Shopkeepers,
Researchers.
5. People : Farmers, Gardeners, Shopkeepers,
Researchers, Sweepers, Producers.
6. Product Function :
Absorption
Moisturizes
Help for less evaporation
Prevents the carbon dioxide
Emission in atmosphere
Improve soil structure
Released locked up nutrients
Condition the soil
 CANVAS 6 : LEARNING NEED MATRIX
CANVAS

The purpose of LNM is to identify the

requirements of learning among the team members. While
a new product/ process is under development on the base of
unique ideas , the team members need to learn and explore
a lot of new skills and documents, methods, and guidelines.
The team members can develop their own learning path to
contribute to the efforts of the team for developing the
concept underlying at the centre of LNM.
 DURING BE II

1. Purpose/ Product concept :

• To use waste diapers which contain super
absorbent polymer.
• Increase moisture retention capacity of soil
using SAPs.
• To increase the growth of plants
• Prevents excess use of fertilizers.
• For agricultural application.
• Reduce the emission of carbon dioxide in
atmosphere as there is no need to burn
used (waste) diapers.
2. Tools / Theory / Application :
• Pots , Rose plants , soil , super absorbent
polymer.
 • Water retention capacity of soil , growth
of plants ( germination ).
• In desert areas , garden , agricultural field
, etc.
3. Principles and experiment :
• Increase water retention capacity of soil.
• Less carbon dioxide emissions as the
diapers are decomposed in the soil rather
than burning.
• Soil analysis.
• Measurement of height to find the
growth rate of plants.
4. Mathematical requirement :
• Growth rate (in terms of height) = (H2 -
H1)/ T.
Where, T is time duration
( HE - H1 ) = height difference
 • Moisture content (%)
= (Weight of moist soil contain SAPs) –
(Weight of dry soil contain SAPs). /
(Weight of dry soil contain SAPs).

5. Component strength criteria/ Testing requirements :

• SAPs : water absorption capacity Soil :
moisture content, texture, soil organic
matter
Plants : capability to absorb energy (heat) ,
water retention capacity, plant’s nutrition
• Soil analysis : determination of N , P , K
and other ions and moisture content.
 DURING BE III

1. Tools/ Application :
• Used diapers or SAPs , biochar, dry
leaves, vegetable waste, cow dung.
• Improve soil structure and amount of
minerals in the soil.
• Add locked up nutrients.

2. Skill :
• Knowledge about soil structure
• Knowledge about soil conditioners.
• Knowledge about Technique for
plantation
• Knowledge about growing of plants.
3. Working Principle of soil conditioner :
• Soil conditioners are soil amendment
that improve soil structure by increasing
aeration, water holding capacity, and
nutrients.
• Loosen up compacted clay soil and
release locked up nutrients.
4. Component materials' strength criteria of soil
conditioner :
• Soil conditioner absorb water rapidly
• Rebuild soil which have been damaged
• To make poor soil more usable
• Add nutrients and enriching the soil and
allowing plant to grow bigger and
stronger
• Adjust the pH of the soil to meet the
need of specific plants.