Since the harmful effects of using gypsum chalk have been gaining awareness in recent years, there have been several new innovations that have been coming up from various sources. One of the recent innovations in that regard is by two school students from Telangana. P Harshit Verma and K Rudra, two students from a government school in Hyderabad’s Adilabad have come up with an innovative organic replacement for gypsum chalks.
“The regular chalks used to write on boards by teachers are generally made using chemicals. These chalks are made from gypsum powder and the dust generated from it may lead to many health issues especially in the lungs and causes eye irritation as well. We have come up with organic chalks that can be replaced with the regular gypsum chalks,” Verma told ANI.
“We have used rice flour and natural clay for the preparation of these chalks. Along with these two, we also mixed neem oil, lemon oil, camphor, and many other naturally extracted substances. Further, to create a natural aroma in the classroom, we have added natural fragrances like rose water, extracts of Jasmine and sandal, and many other natural aromatic substances,” Harshit said.
This chalk doesn’t emit harmful gypsum fumes from the dust produced by the conventional chalk. These fumes irritate the lungs and eyes of students and teachers.