Saju Ravindran lifts a bag made of newspapers that has two stones weighing a total of 10 kg inside. An ordinary newspaper bag that can carry such a heavy load without tearing seems impossible, but Mr. Ravindran says it is not only possible but also is probably the cheapest alternative to plastic.
There is nothing fancy about Mr. Ravindran’s newspaper bags, displayed at Suchitwa Sangamam, an exhibition of alternatives to plastic products organised by the Haritha Keralam Mission, Local Self-goverment Department, and the Suchitwa Mission, at the Sooryakanthi grounds, Kanakakkunnu.
Mr. Ravindran says the round base of the bag, like the columns of a bridge, plus the bonding material comprising white flour, alum, and copper sulphate make the bag sturdy by dispersing the weight. With handles made of jute threads, the bags are very economic; one can be made at a cost 10 paise. Moreover, these bags can be used two to three times.
The bags are ideal for production in home units as the raw material is easily available and they can be sold to nearby stores. With an increase in the number of such units, carry bags needed by people of the State can easily be made available, he says.
City residents worried about the plastic menace yet unsure of where to look for alternatives can head to the expo where there are alternatives galore. Cloth bags; bags and footwear made of bamboo, plaintain fibre, and screwpine; paper pens; coconut-shell cutlery, steel straws, plastic-shredding machine, biogas plants, and sanitary napkin incinerators are on display.
Corn starch
One stall has tableware such as plates, bowls, and boxes made from sugarcane bagasse, easily available as farm waste, and wheat straw. Sheets of the raw material are pulped, made into sheets, and moulded at high pressure. Another has juice containers made completely of corn starch and glasses and straws made of paper with a coating of corn starch, all imported. Spoons made of corn and potato starch are also worth taking a look here.
As the campaign against single-use plastics picks up momentum, one stall offers an alternative — cassava bags that degrade in 180 days, dissolvable in water at 80 degrees Celcius, and emit only carbon when burnt. The bags are even edible, the manufacturers claim, adding that they have the relevant certifications. The bags are available in different thickness and can be reused. They are inexpensive too, they say.
When it comes to single-use plastics, straws are counted among the biggest pollutants. An alternative is palm leaf straws, made by a Bengaluru start-up. Unlike paper straws, these do not become soggy.
Palm leaf instead of being dumped somewhere or burnt can be treated. They associate with 50 women self-help groups and are also in talks with the Kudumbashree in the State, thus giving a fillip to women empowerment. The straws come in different types – for cocktails, juices, and milk shakes. The prices start from ₹1.5 to ₹2.5 depending on the thickness.
