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Go for coir, save trees
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Coir composites are being used for making a variety of products. The building industry too is taking to them
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Ideal combo: Traditional crafts and modern technology can go together
An exhibition organised in Kochi as part of an all-India seminar on the National Building Code of India, 2005, brought out several facets of the building industry, especially the use of eco-friendly and naturally occurring materials for enhancing comfort and reducing cost.
Products with coir fibre as their basic raw material were on show at the exhibition. Among these were tables, stools, book racks and kitchen cabinets. With glazed finish and eco-friendly nature, they are destined to be natural favourites in times to come.
These products are the results of a joint initiative by the Coir Board and the National Institute of Design (NID). The initiative is for long-term research for developing new applications of coir composite materials and designs. It is expected that the technology for developing these materials and their designs will be made widely available.
Eco-friendly
Coir has been known to be one of the hottest fibres in the world market largely due to its eco-friendly nature.
The Coir Board has been engaged in research for developing new products such as coir composites, which have been test-marketed already. Response to coir composites has been positive.
Ideal substitute
Primarily, coir composites are substitutes for plywood, hardboard and medium-density wood fibre boards. Replacing the use of tropical forest timber, coir composites go a long way in serving the cause of environment.
The magnitude of the destruction of tree cover is evident from the numbers provided in a souvenir released at the two-day seminar.
According to the estimate, 20,000 interior designers and architects in India use up 54,60,000 trees a year. This needs clearing of 50,753 acres of forests.
Timber-deficit
India, a timber-deficit country, relies heavily on imports and its annual requirement is 40 million cubic metres.
Against this, the availability is 0.25 million cubic metres. This calls for identification of substitutes, supply of which can be sustained over a long period of time. And it is estimated that coir composites can save trees in big numbers. According to estimates, a production unit of coir composites with a capacity of 40 cubic metres a day can save 22 trees a day.
Adding up the numbers will give a broad picture of the effect of more widespread use of coir composites.
BIS approval
The use of coir composites has been approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Indian Railways, along with the Central Public Works Department, while coirply has been approved for roofing in lieu of asbestos sheets.
In fact, coirply and composites make up an industry that looks forward to a brighter future with widespread use and applications.
The industry holds enormous prospects for reducing the burden on environment as well as creating rural employment.
Estimates say that only about 30 per cent of the available coconut husk is utilised.
K.A. MARTIN
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Property Plus
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Thiruvananthapuram
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