Every year much rice straw is burnt in the fields causing
much pollution in Northern India. However rice straw can be put to good use for
many products, one of then being paper.
A preliminary estimate by this author suggests that a mix of
half and half rice straw and Bagasse, the residue left after crushing sugarcane to
extract juice can produce good quality paper for printing and writing as also
for boxes and newspaper. For every ton of sugarcane crushed approximately 30%
tonnes of wet bagasse is produced.
Adding 10% cotton fiber to the mix will yield high quality
printing and document paper whereas adding 10% polyester fiber could yield quality paper for carry bags that may be used to replace plastic bags in
current use.
Further research shall help verify or refine the
recommendations of this brief note.
The State and Central Government of India can aid this effort
in the following ways:
- Providing research funding to universities and industry to develop
these processes on an annual basis (renewing only if progress is
demonstrated)
- By giving a tax holiday for ten years to industries that set up such plants. The government would save money on pollution mitigation and economy creation measures even by foregoing this tax. Giving free land etc. is not recommended since that facility is susceptible to misuse. Some acquire the land and sit on it or use it for other purposes.
As also giving quick licenses and permissions for
setting up such units
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