Paper from plastics! An environment friendly technology

A new technology called Cronology developed in Mexico seems to be headed for adoption by the paper industry which is being criticized by the environmentalist for massive deforestation in obtaining their input materials. An indirect beneficiary will be the plastic waste recycling industry which seeks to reduce the environment pollution through reprocessing the plastic waste into useful products. While recycling does help in getting a temporary reprieve in terms of pollution, ultimately plastics end up in landfills staying there for more than 800 years without getting degraded. The paper obtained by the new technology is claimed to be photodegradable decomposing within 6 months. Here is a take on this exciting technological development about which lot will be heard in the coming years.

"A group of young entrepreneurs from Mexico has developed a system that converts PET bottles into mineral paper and which they claim will save up to 20 trees and 56,000 liters of water per ton of paper produced. The photodegradable, waterproof paper can be used to print books, boxes and general stationery. "By not cutting trees, nor using water we reduce costs and help the planet," says Ever Adrian Nava, cofounder of the Cronology company, located in Ecatepec, a municipality in Mexico State, just north from Mexico City. The Cronology process is claimed to be 15 percent cheaper than traditional paper manufacture because it doesn't use chemicals, like chlorine, or water. Although countries like Spain and Taiwan already use similar processes to manufacture mineral paper (also known as peta paper or stone paper), its developers say the Cronology system is four times cheaper than conventional methods. The original idea for this type of paper is to reduce production costs and deforestation. Mexico currently produces 700,000 tons of paper each year, mostly for books and notebooks, but also for wrapping papers and toilet paper. Ever Nava says that producing one ton of traditional paper has an effect on the environment for 100 years, but that mineral paper eliminates that, with 235 kg (518 lb) of pellets, or PET beads, obtained using recycled plastic bottles, calcium carbonate and stone, capable of producing a ton of the mineral paper. "The mineral paper is stronger than the standard, you can not break it with your hands, it is waterproof, has the quality of being photodegradable and only absorbs the necessary amount of ink when printing," says Ever Nava. Recycled plastic bottles are first crushed with various pieces of calcium carbon to form pellets (plastic beads), which are then subjected to a casting process at over a 100° C (212° F), before being rolled to form large sheets of paper. The paper degrades in just six months, with the company saying the only downside is that ink gels can't be used on it because they contain alcohol, which the paper does not support."

What is more interesting is the water saved by this process in making high quality paper compared to traditional paper making from wood. Already forests are being denuded in South America massively for planting Palm plants for oil. Demand for palm oil, one of the cheapest oils in the world is literally exploding because of its dual utility as a food ingredient as well as a fossil fuel substitute. PET, also known as polyester, is chemically Polyethylene Terephthalate and world produces about 25 million tons annually out of which only 30% is used for bottle production remaining going into textile industry. Also known as Dacron or Terylene or Lavasa, fabrics made from PET are extraordinarily strong and crease resistant. The new technology to convert PET into paper can thus be a large industry capable of solving one of the most vexing issues facing mankind viz disposing of 25 million tons of PET into useful products with excellent environmental credentials. Another beauty is that the technology uses comparatively lower temperatures, about 100C while for recycling it has to be done at temperatures beyond 250C. Thus PET paper production technology can be a win-win situation for all the stake holders connected with PET industry.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD "APARTHEID" IN MAKING?-IT IS TIME FOR WTO TO INTERVENE

Palm oil, the mainstay in the economic strength of countries like Malaysia and Indonesia is about to get a body blow in Australia and New Zealand because of grossly discriminatory labeling regulation being proposed by these countries. It is beyond one's perception as to how a civilized country can harm the economic interests of a fellow country by restrictive trade practices not based on scientific facts. The only crime of Palm oil is that it is being produced in a more efficient manner and costs less in the global market compared to other competing oils like Soybean oil or Canola. The zealots of environmental salvation has zeroed in on Palm oil as they are of the view that large tracts of forests are denuded to establish giant Palm plantations in countries in the forefront of Palm oil production. How ever these protectionists are ignoring the fact that Palm oil trees, planted in denuded forests, also provide similar benefits of a green cover and a carbon sink! If such narrow considerations creep into sustainability assessment, practically no food crop can stand strict scrutiny and no one seems to have thought about the implications of such a policy world wide?

Almost immediately after the bill passed the Senate, international governments and food industry representatives criticised it, saying it was illegal and discriminatory. Dompok stated that the bill did not take into account that the palm oil sector has contributed substantially towards addressing rural poverty and generating employment in the agricultural sector.The Malaysian palm oil lobby had opposed the bill, with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council putting their case before a Senate committee public hearing in April. Y.B. Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Malaysia's minister of plantation industries and commodities, said that labelling palm oil purely from the perspective of sustainable production was discriminatory. He also stated that in comparison, competing vegetable oils were not required to be labelled, which makes the bill discriminatory of only one type of oil.

Why is that some countries in the West try to put road blocks in the economic development of "not so well to do" countries in such a blatant way? Probably ugly protectionism may have some thing to do with such reprehensible policies under which domestic industry is "cocooned" to ward of any adverse influence through imports of low cost foods and ingredients from developing countries. The only way to counter such a strategy will be to declare many foods made in the developed countries unacceptable unless they modify their label declaration to suit the needs of the developing countries. If the world gets into such a "tit for tat" treatment mode, what will be the future of WTO which is supposed to remove all barriers for free and fair trade among the nations in a true spirit of a "global village" with no boundary restrictions? Nothing but utter chaos!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

'JHUM" CULTIVATION-ALL SET TO BE ABOLISHED

Winds of change are blowing across some parts of North Eastern Region as evidenced by the new thinking on the part of Mizoram administrators to tackle the age old problem of jhum cultivation considered unscientific and environmentally unacceptable. That it took more than 6 decades of independence to even think of modernizing what is obviously a tribal practice speaks volume about the social and other problems that confront any efforts in changing the habit of people. But the new determination to change the past for a new future bodes well for the state of Mizoram and people there. The ambitious project with a time frame of 5 years is hopeful of covering more than 50% of the 2 lakh and odd families who indulge in jhum cultivation through economic incentives. It is good to realize that visible and tangible development only can eradicate citizens' dissatisfaction and no effort is too high to keep them happy and contended.

"The tribals in the hilly terrains of Mizoram have for generations been carrying out the traditional slash-and-burn method of cultivation, locally called 'jhum,' which has resulted in degradation of forest land and deterioration of the soil condition. About 80 percent of farmers in Mizoram still depend on jhum cultivation that involves clearing forests and burning trees, weeds and bamboos. Every year many people die in jhum fires. Last year, at least nine people died. Of the Rs.2,873 crore earmarked for the project, Rs.2,527 crore will come from centrally sponsored schemes".

Shifting cultivation probably helps the farmers to reduce cost of inputs like fertilizers but is fraught with many other problems like fire hazards, nomadic style of living, logistical problem of education, environmental degradation etc. Though the financial outgo may look astronomical, the returns can be invaluable if the lives of people there are stabilized and economic conditions improve significantly. Jhum rice is valued very much for its eating quality, liked by the local population and whether changing the cultivation style can affect this adversely needs to be checked. Here comes the role of agricultural scientists who will have to provide technical assistance to the farming families in generating adequate confidence.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com