How Sacred Flowers Are Turned Into Incense Sticks | World Wide Waste

Summary

Phool, a startup in Kanpur, is tackling India's flower waste problem by transforming sacred temple flowers into handmade incense sticks. Collecting over 12 tons daily, the company ensures that these flowers, often discarded in the Ganges, are recycled rather than polluting the river. Ankit, the founder, faced skepticism from friends and temples but emphasized that the flowers belong to the gods and should be repurposed for worship. While Phool aims to expand its production and introduce new products, the broader challenge of river pollution remains, highlighting the need for awareness and collective action.

Takeaways

• 🌸 India produces tons of flower waste daily, especially from temples, contributing to significant environmental issues.
• 🌊 Over 1,000 tons of flowers end up in the Ganges River daily, many containing toxic chemicals and pesticides.
• 💡 Ankit founded Phool, a company dedicated to recycling temple flowers into handmade incense sticks.
• 🚚 Phool collects flower waste from temples, making around 19 stops daily to gather materials for their products.
• 🌼 Only flower petals are used for incense, while buds and stems are converted into compost.
• 🛠️ The incense sticks are crafted using a unique method that avoids harmful chemicals like charcoal.
• 🌱 Ankit's vision includes expanding recycling efforts, with plans for new products like vegan leather and biodegradable alternatives.
• 🏞️ Floral waste accounts for about 16% of pollution in the Ganges, with other pollutants like sewage contributing to the problem.
• 👩‍👧 Ankit aims to employ 1,000 women and increase production to handle 50 tons of flowers across five locations.
• ✨ Each incense stick produced symbolizes a blend of sustainability and cultural reverence, aiming to raise awareness about environmental issues.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the company Phool?

Phool focuses on collecting flower waste from temples and transforming it into handmade incense sticks, aiming to address the issue of flower waste pollution in India.

How much flower waste does Phool collect daily?

Phool collects more than 12 tons of flower waste every day from temples.

Why are the flowers from temples considered sacred?

The flowers used in rituals at Hindu temples are considered sacred and cannot be thrown away as garbage, which leads to significant pollution when disposed of improperly.

What environmental issues are associated with flower waste in India?

Flower waste contributes to pollution in the Ganges River, releasing toxic chemicals such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium, along with pesticides, endangering the water quality and the health of over 400 million people relying on the river for drinking water.

What process do the flowers undergo at Phool's facility?

At Phool's facility, employees weigh and separate the flower petals from non-floral waste, dry them, grind them into a powder, mix with water and essential oils, roll them into sticks, and package them.

How does Ankit describe the incense sticks produced by Phool compared to others?

Ankit claims that their incense sticks are cleaner than others, as they are not made with charcoal, which releases harmful sulfur dioxide and xylene chemicals when burned.

What challenges did Ankit face when starting Phool?

Ankit faced skepticism from family and friends regarding his decision to leave his job as an automation scientist to work with temple flowers and had to convince temple authorities to trust his business.

What new products is Phool exploring in its research lab?

Phool is researching the development of vegan leather and a biodegradable alternative to Styrofoam, but these products are not yet ready for sale.

What is Ankit's long-term goal for Phool?

Ankit aims to expand production and waste collection to at least 50 tons of flowers across five locations in India and to employ 1,000 women.

How does Ankit view the role of Phool in addressing pollution in the Ganges?

Ankit acknowledges that Phool cannot clean up the Ganges alone, but he believes it can raise awareness about the flower waste problem, which has been largely ignored.