Hyderabad: A 45-year-old mechanical engineer from Hyderabad has come up with a novel idea of making petrol out of used plastic. Professor Satish Kumar, who has founded a company registered with the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises, said the three-step process of converting plastic into fuel is known as plastic pyrolysis.

“The process helps recycle plastic into diesel, aviation fuel and petrol. About 500-kg of non-recyclable plastic can produce 400 litres of fuel. It is a simple process which requires no water and doesn’t release wastewater. Neither does it pollute the air as the process happens in a vacuum,” Kumar told News18.

Since 2016, the professor has converted 50 tonnes of ‘end-life’ plastic (that cannot be recycled) into fuel. At present, his company is producing 200 litre of petrol on a daily basis out of 200kg of plastic and selling the same at local industries for Rs 40/50 per litre.

However, the usability of this fuel for vehicles is yet to be tested. All kinds of plastics, except PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate), can be used without the need for segregation.

“Our main aim behind starting this plant is to help the environment. We are not expecting commercial benefits. We are only trying to do our bit to ensure a cleaner future. We are ready to share our technology with any interested entrepreneur,” he said.