BILKULONLINE
Ahmedabad, April 26: A small idea with a big impact is gaining attention at the National Institute of Design (NID), where M.Des Product Design student Rutvij Munagekar has developed Snappy — a simple yet ingenious locking mechanism for dustbins that aims to prevent animals from accessing waste.
The project, part of the Simple Product Design (SPD) course, addresses a common but critical urban issue: animals rummaging through trash. This not only poses dangers to the animals themselves — who often ingest harmful materials like plastic and sharp objects — but also contributes to scattered waste and increased pollution in public spaces.
Snappy offers a straightforward solution. Using a cleverly placed magnetic lock, the product secures dustbin lids in a way that animals can’t easily bypass, while remaining user-friendly for humans. “Just lift the lid, drop the waste, and let it snap back,” explains Rutvij. The magnetic mechanism automatically re-locks the bin, keeping animals out and cleanliness in.
Designed to be minimal, cost-effective, and easily adaptable to existing bins, Snappy reflects the kind of user-centric thinking and sustainability-driven design that NID is known for. The project was guided by Vikram Mitra and received valuable feedback from fellow M.Des24 batchmates. Visual documentation was handled by Shreeya Dixit of the Film & Video Communication department .
If scaled, Snappy could significantly reduce animal fatalities, limit human-animal conflict, and improve waste management practices across communities.
As Rutvij puts it, “Sometimes, the simplest ideas can lead to the most meaningful change.” With Snappy, that change might just be a snap away.