BTU student develops refillable spray cans using discarded water bottles

Mr Martin Asambila Ayurebome, a level 300 student of the Department of Industrial Arts at the Bolgatanga Technical University has developed refillable spray cans using discarded water bottles.

The new technology involved the use of water bottles, sketchpads, rim lock, hole pipes, paint and binding wire to construct spray cans that are refillable and cost effective to ensure durability.

A Spray Can is a small metal container containing liquid such as paint under pressure so that it can be sprayed.

Unlike the traditional spray cans made of metals and could only be used once and with only one colour of liquid substance, the water bottle spray cans make it possible to be used for multiple colours and refill with the desired colour of liquid substance when exhausted.

Making a presentation of the innovation to students and staff of the University, Mr Ayurebome said discarded water bottles had many volumes to contain much air and were durable compared to traditional air cans.

“The idea is to create a refillable spray can with its own compressor because there are more spray cans that are not refillable and that his main idea, so this idea is an improvement of the existing ones,” he said.

He explained that the innovation was environmentally friendly as it helps to control the plastic menace which has become a health concern in the country.

“The amount of plastic waste in this country daily is so huge that there must be ways to recycle them and using discarded water bottles which is part of the plastic waste to produce spray cans could help reduce plastic waste menace,” he added.

The innovative students advocated the adoption and scaling up of the innovation to help reduce the cost of production and operations and help create jobs for the youth.

“I want to advice the youth to do more research on plastic waste on how to recycle them into income-generating means. Apart from the spray cans these discarded water bottles could be used for other items and the youth need to begin to think of how to turn some of these into business to create employ for themselves,” he added.