Bangladesh Plastic Alternative from Jute

As the population of the world is ever-increasing, the amount of garbage that people produce is also increasing at an alarming rate. The accumulation of products such as soda cans or bottles of water have led to increasing amounts of plastic pollution. As plastic is composed of most dangerous toxic pollutants, plastic has the potential to cause harm in the form of air, water, and land pollution to the environment. To overcome this situation, many scientists in the world are trying to find a way to stop or control the plastic pollution. Some are even trying to find an alternative to plastic. At a smaller level, people are even trying to completely stop using plastic at an individual level. They are using cloth bags, paper bags instead of plastic bags. Companies have stopped using plastic bottles or other plastic container and are shifting towards greenery.

BANGLADESH-A SAVIOR!

Recently, Bangladesh got a huge success in this field of research and found an alternative to plastic. It’s JUTE! the plant fibre that is used to produce burlap bags. As the world’s second largest producer of Jute after India, Bangladesh has found a solution to the world’s biggest threat up to date. Jute is also called as “Golden Fibre”- which is named for its colour and its once-high price - has lost its shine as demand has fallen. Now, however, a scientist in Bangladesh named Mubarak Ahmad Khan, has found a way to turn this fibre into low cost biodegradable cellulose sheets that can be made into throwaway bags, harmless to environment that feel and look much like plastic bags.

Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, a scientific advisor to the state-run Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation(BJMC) said that “ The physical properties of Jute and Plastic are quite similar.” Adding to this, he said that the jute sacks are biodegradable after three months unlike plastic and can also be recycled. He and his team has started developing “Sonali” – the Bengali word for “Golden” bags. Bangladesh is now manufacturing about 2000 bags a day as an experiment, but they are planning to increase the production for commercial business after signing an agreement in October, 2018 with a British arm of a Japanese Green Packaging firm. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in March, 2019 encouraged those working on the project “to help expedite the wider usage of the Sonali” for both experimental and commercial gain. In April, 2019 the government sanctioned a fund of about USD 9,00,000 from Bangladesh’s own climate change trust fund to help in the production of these bags. It is expected that within the six months of production of the bags, Bangladesh will be able to manufacture them for commercial purpose. This will not only give their economic system a boost but also, they will come closer to other nations seeking the business or their technology which in-turn will help them in the near future.

PROPERTIES AND CHEMICAL INGREDIENTS:

It looks like a polyethene bag, also its strength is equal to that of a polyethene bag. It is eco-friendly, sustainable, recyclable and the most important is that it is biodegradable within 3-4 months whereas polyethene bags takes 200 years to biodegrade. Colors used are also food grade.

Main chemical ingredients are –

1. Synthetic polymer as binder.
2. Jute cellulose.
3. Cross-linker for chemical reaction.

Jute contains about 72-75% cellulose out of which 50-55% could be extracted.

USES:

According to Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, Following are some of the uses of jute as an alternative to plastic:

1. Jute bags.
2. Garment packaging.
3. Cover ice-cream.
4. Covering food grains.
5. Package for milk.

POSSIBILITIES AND PRODUCTION:

The cost will depend on variables like-

• Availability of raw materials
• Machinery cost
• Cost of the process
• Facilities from government

WHAT SHOULD BE THE NEXT STEP FOR INDIA?

Today, more than 60 countries form France to China have banned the usage of plastic bags in some regions. India on the other hand, has banned plastic usage in 17 states and all Union territories. Neither the manufacturing, nor sale and use of plastic bags is allowed now. This was stated in the written reply in Lok Sabha by the Environment Minister – Harsh Vardhan. However, we see that even though the government has banned the plastic bags, people are still using plastic bags as they are not fully aware of the problems that are faced on the global level. Actually, to be frank, in India, the mentality of people is very disturbing. We think only of ourselves or our neighbors at the most. Instead of stopping the use of plastic bags and using a cloth bag or paper bag, we tend to think that “It would be a WASTE to throw away or recycle them until they are non-reusable or non-recyclable.” And thinking that we throw that in the dustbin or on the roads after some use. People do not give any thought to it about how it will affect the environment globally. For this, I think people should be made aware of the current situation. The government should not stop after banning only plastic bags in certain regions. They should monitor locally in every region about the current conditions and strive hard to fulfil the goals. By locally monitoring, it would also help to increase employment opportunities for the youngsters in the country. Finally, slowly but steadily, the entire use of plastic (not only bottles, bags) should be banned from the country. As India is the largest producer of jute, just-like Bangladesh, we should start manufacturing and using it for our better mankind. The government should fund the researchers in this field to research on the plastic more and find an alternative for the plastic as early as possible. Although this is only possible, if the government and the citizens of India will work hand-in-hand with each other trying to pull each other forward it one them lags behind.

CONCLUSION

Now, as Bangladesh has made an outstanding research over this matter, the field to find an alternative to plastic has opened a numerous gates for a better future of the mankind. More countries have started researching over it and I am sure that in the next few years, there will be a break-through that will completely change our future. If something that curbs the plastic pollution gets discovered in the near future in our own country or in any other country, Indian government should implement it by making the citizens aware of it.

Hi guys, I am Kaustubh Desai. I am pursuing engineering from BITS Pilani University. I love reading Science articles as well as writing them. I like to write about current affairs. I spend my free time watching movies and listening to music.