Plastics and similar products can take years to decompose (never mind that they’re made from fossil fuels). Our failure to adopt alternative biodegradable disposable material has been fueling this climate epidemic so far.
But all this can change if we adopt “banana leaf technology.”
As a general rule, banana leaves — and most other biomaterials — degrade within a shelf lifespan of 3 days and are then disposed of as waste.
This technology enhances the banana leaves’ physical properties, thus making a viable biodegradable material alternative to both plastic and paper. The tech reinforces the cell walls and organs of plants, halting their aging process for up to 3 years.
Once strengthened, these organic materials can be transformed into cups, plates, cones, envelopes, and boxes. Increased in their durability, stretch- ability, and crush-ability, preserved leaves can resist extreme temperatures and hold more weight than their original nature would have allowed.
These processed bio-materials are said to be:
- biodegradable
- healthy
- pathogenic resistant
- human-friendly
- eco-friendly
- chemical-free
- able to be used as animal fodder
- cost-effective
Banana leaf technology has the potential to contribute significantly to lessening the global landfill crisis.
The 20-year-old Indian prodigy named Tenith Adithyaa asserts that his banana leaf technology process is the way to turn the tide on plastics and devote only 1 cent consumption cost per use as part of the transition.
Reference- Clean Technica, neic.org, The Better India, India Science Wire