The Hindu : Front Page : Alternative to plastic bags: DRDO technology on offer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 06, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Alternative to plastic bags: DRDO technology on offer

Amutha Kannan

Photo: K. Ananthan

An end IN SIGHT: Food being packed in plastic bags in Coimbatore. –

COIMBATORE: One of the 64 laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has offered to transfer technology to Bharathiar University here to create an alternative to plastic bags.

This is in response to the university’s appeal to the DRDO to find alternatives that would enable traders and hoteliers to pack liquid and semi-solid food materials for take-away sales.

The Vice-Chancellor had promised at the inauguration of the “Alagana Kovai Day” of the Residents’ Awareness Association of Coimbatore on June 29 that the university would support its initiative to eliminate plastic bags in the city.

“Though I had announced that the university students would go on a satyagraha if traders did not shun plastic bags, I knew I had to offer them an alternative. Otherwise, they will find it difficult to do business. Representatives from the Tamil Nadu Hotel Owners Association too approached me for the same purpose. I requested the DRDO to help find an alternative. They were very prompt in offering the technology,” the Vice-Chancellor told The Hindu.

Rice bran

The DRDO’s alternative technology, that involved the use of rice bran, would be transferred to the university, which in turn would be offered to the traders. The Vice-Chancellor announced this at the Senate meeting of the university on Friday.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page