Ecofriendly Paper Making

Tree – The Treasure

A tree that lives for 50 years and generates Rs. 5.3 lakh worth of oxygen, recycles Rs. 6.4 lakh worth of fertility and soil erosion control, creates ­Rs. 10.5 lakh worth of air, pollution control and Rs. 5.3 lakh worth of shelter for birds and animals, besides providing flowers fruits and timber. Hence if one tree falls or is felled the country loses something worth more than Rs.32 lakh.

One lakh eco-friendly greeting cards can save 696 Bamboos or 415 Eucalyptus trees.

MCRC has developed concept of biotreatment with phototrophic bacteria for paper pulp. Following the concept developed by MCRC and promoting non-wood fibres agroresidues were targeted for paper making. Now the successful technology package is being distributed to the society. Alternative cellulose materials selected by MCRC, such as silk cotton, agrowaste and hosiery fabric wastes. Absolutely chemical free technology not only makes pollution free but also helps to conserves huge quantity of water.

The mechanical pulping process is preceded by microbial treatment, replacing the sodium hydroxide or cholor-bleaching treatment for pulp bleacing, thereby preventing the polluting nature of the effluents. The pulp is refined and sized in an eco-friendly method. The water is recycled several times and finally effluent rich in organic substances is used for irrigation purpose.

Many NGOs, SHGs and individuals have been trained at MCRC in making eco-friendly papers from agro-wastes and other easily availble raw materials.

Salient features

Indiscriminate cutting of tree for pulp vanishes a huge forest-area every year globally. It is highly felt that the requirment of alternative raw material for wood pulp. The technology package developed by MCRC is innovative and applicable for any scale.

Many research work carried out world wide for alternative cellulose materials but here by the Centre’s valuble effort the technology package developed is highly innovative in several aspects viz. utilisation of agrowastes and utilisation of them for biopulpin in fixed ratios, biobleaching, natural colouring of pulp and on paper, several product attraction work with natural ingredients, tingo dyeing with flowers and screen printing with natural dyes.

In conventional paper making process, cellulose is obtained from trees (deforestration) after chemical and mechanical treatment with the result that only 30-40 % of the starting material is useful for paper making, whereas in MCRC paper process 85-90 % of cellulose is obtained from tree usufructs, followed by microbial/mechanical pulping by using non polluting additives and dyes from natural sources.

Identified locally available, alternative cellulosic raw material sources viz. banana stem, mat grass and other agricultural waste and appropriate techniques developed for pulp prepapration. Without affecting the biodiversity but inturn encouraging activities include biopulping, biobleaching and use of natural colorants are the innovatives of this package of practice.

Unemployed village women more than 200 numbers were identified and evaluated their socio economic status, the skills and resources they have and given training with pilot scale ecopaper unit. The advantages of MCRC’s paper making technology is outlined as below:

Strategies were explored and commercialised the production of paper, cards and boards through the trained women and provided proper guidance for their sustinance. The thoughts of paper making as a tedious process and complicated were given away by the people who practice MCRC’s package of practice. Any layperson can understand and adopt the ecopaper making process for the benefit is now possible and which is much more encouraged by MCRC through trainings. Many peoples are utilising these ecopaper trainings of MCRC team and the agencies utilising the services include SISI, TNPCB, CAPART and also different industries and individuals.

The advantages of MCRC’s paper making technology is outlined as below:

Two hundred unemployed women representing 9 villages in and around Balasamudram village in Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu were identified and had personal & group discussion on the project activities. Out of 200 women, 102 women were given different training on paper processing and paper product conversion- value addition. All the papermaking machineries were fabricated, purchased, erected and trial production (17,000 kg) over a period of one year was carried out in a leased building. The project activities were implemented with active participation of local government/ village authorities and inaugurated the ecofriendly paper production unit. 20 women responsible for paper production evaluated the suitability of using banana stem, mat grass and other agriculture residues for the production of hand made paper, cards and boards. Prepared a training manual on ecofriendly paper processing by using agriculture residues.

Eco Paper production units - Hand made paper, Bench scale production unit, raw material processing training programme and Eco Paper products

Ecofriendly paper technology for Women Self Help Group at Thottiam, Tiruchirappalli District.