The\u00a0young\u00a0leaders come from around the world and are selected because of their contributions to sustainable development.\u00a0\u00a0Asked what inspired him to start the initiative, Mr Singhal, who is\u00a0currently studying Management Science at University College London,\u00a0said:<\/p>\n
And the silica sand created by the initiative certainly is valuable. As Mr Singhal explains:<\/p>\n \u201cThe sand produced is used in construction, foundry linings and other applications. With bottles changing form to sand, any possibility of counterfeiting is also \u201ccrushed\u201d. The silica rich sand by-product is sold, and this covers the costs of the operation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Such is the ingenuity of Glass2Sand, turning glass bottle waste into a highly valuable new product.<\/p>\n Of course, the actual process of turning the glass bottles into sand is not Glass2Sand\u2019s only task \u2013 it also has to collect glass bottle waste, and in quite significant quantities in order to be effective. Mr Singhal spoke about how he encouraged volunteers to pass on their bottles to Glass2Sand.<\/p>\n \u201cBottle-collection is managed through a volunteer network that responded to Glass2Sand\u2019s internet and social media campaign. I created a website and extensive national mainstream media coverage helped amplify awareness. The awareness campaign \u201cDrink Responsibly, Dispose Responsibly\u201d was launched by the Ambassador of Hungary to India in October 2019.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Since its creation, Glass2Sand has gathered a group of 120 volunteers, allowing it to prevent over 10,000 bottles being dumped in landfills and produced over 6,000 kilograms of high-grade silica sand. It has also created quite a following, with 200,000 plus website hits and over 12,600 social media likes.<\/p>\n Despite this, its innovative technology is yet to be widely used around the globe. Asked why other countries should join the Glass2Sand initiative, Mr Singhal responded:<\/p>\n \u201cGlass2Sand will be a useful addition, especially to countries where the glass waste crisis is growing and recycling is not effective. With awareness of the glass waste problem, the crisis can be nipped in the bud so that it doesn\u2019t assume the gigantic proportions that plastic has.<\/em>\u202f<\/em><\/p>\n This state-of-the-art project creates a sustainable eco-system in a manner that hasn\u2019t been done earlier. The project is modular, easily scalable and can be adopted by any like-minded organisation. The commercially viable by-product allows the affordable one-time setup cost and low running costs to be offset with a steady revenue stream.\u201d\u202f<\/em><\/p>\n Does he hope Glass2Sand will continue to grow?<\/p>\n \u201cGlass2Sand modules will answer the call to action in any location where glass bottle waste poses a menace. Discussions with like-minded organisations are in progress to replicate the project other cities.\u202fOur campaigns are being streamlined so that they may reach out to more potential stakeholders and new locations are being identified where there exists a growing glass waste crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Young Leaders for the SDGs\u202f<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Singhal\u2019s ambitions for his initiative are likely to be aided by his selection to become a Young Leader for the SDGs, a group that aims to support other young people in the realisation of the SDGs through strategic opportunities with the UN and through their own existing initiatives. Mr Singhal told us what his work in his Young Leader role had involved so far.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been developing strategies to turn attention to glass waste and make #noglasstolandfills a movement. I am galvanising the youth through speaking engagements emphasising the need to act towards the SDGs. In November 2020, I met the UN Secretary General, H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres to discuss the opportunities to drive the SDGs and have been closely working with the UN Office of the Secretary-General\u2019s Envoy.\u201d<\/em>\u202f<\/em><\/p>\n According to Mr Singhal the world faces the following challenges and obstacles in trying to achieve the SDGs:<\/p>\n \u201cSeeking comfort,\u202fbeing\u202faverse\u202fto change, conflict, and the unwillingness to adopt more expensive sustainable practices for me remain the overarching obstacles to achieving the SDGs. The\u202f\u201cwhats in it for me\u201d\u202fbehaviour, which is change adverse,\u202fhinders progress due to the lack of any cost-benefit analysis.\u202fBeyond this, financing is critical. Lack of mobilisation of resources across all parts of the world impedes the SDGs.\u202fThe COVID Pandemic has only elevated and highlighted the looming crisis, making the world aware of how behind we are in the goal to attain the SDGs by 2030.\u201d\u202f<\/em><\/p>\n Despite these huge challenges, the work and ambition of Mr Singhal \u2013 as well as of the sixteen other Young Leaders \u2013 show that positive, effective action is possible, offering us all hope for a greener, more sustainable future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Additional links:<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Udit](\"https:\/\/unric.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/udit-singhal-web.jpg\")
\u201cObserving a looming crisis in Delhi, I concluded that glass, despite being recyclable and reusable, is not segregated anymore and actively goes for dumping into already scarce landfill space \u2013 where it won\u2019t decompose for a million years! At age 16, with a determination to act on this observation, I founded Glass2Sand, a zero-waste ecosystem that stops glass bottles from being dumped in landfills and crushes them into commercially valuable silica sand.\u201d\u202f<\/em><\/p>\n