When it comes to recycling, there is a lot of talk about plastic, paper, food, industrial waste and so on. Here is Dr Himansha Singh, Co-Founder, Craste, who is focusing on transforming crop residue into value-added products that facilitate sustainable lifestyles. She shares her interesting endeavour with Clean India Journal.
Our offerings include 100% crop residue-based pulp for paper and packaging applications, as well as E0 certified Engineered Green Boards suitable for architectural, interior, and furniture applications. These boards are tougher than competitive market brands and are fire retardant, moisture resistant and could be used in construction, interior & furniture applications. Additionally, we provide customized circular packaging solutions for global companies. For example, our collaboration with AbInBev resulted in barley-based packaging for Corona beer, creating a circular value chain by utilizing barley waste from beer production.
At our state-of-the-art facility, known as the Agri Fibre Conversion Unit, all our products are developed under one roof. We’ve pioneered Circular Fibre Technology, a zero-discharge process that efficiently converts crop residue into pulp and paper.
Dr Himansha Singh
At our state-of-the-art facility, known as the Agri Fibre Conversion Unit, all our products are developed under one roof. We’ve pioneered Circular Fibre Technology, a zero-discharge process that efficiently converts crop residue into pulp and paper. This innovative method retains silica and consumes significantly less water compared to traditional paper making processes.
For our engineered green boards, we have developed a specialized blender that ensures each grain of crop residue is uniformly coated with our bio-adhesive, resulting in boards that are not only stronger but also use less adhesive compared to conventional methods.
We pride ourselves on our direct sourcing approach, working closely with farmers and communities to procure various types of crop residues, including rice straw, barley straw, mustard straw, millet straw, wheat straw, and more. By collecting this raw material post-harvest, we play a crucial role in diverting it from being burned, thereby effectively managing agricultural waste, and mitigating environmental impact.
The staggering amount of crop waste generated in India alone, coupled with the detrimental effects of crop burning and deforestation, underscores the urgency of our mission. By producing 100% tree-free materials from crop residue, we address both these pressing environmental challenges.
Each Agri Fibre Conversion Unit not only saves 225,000 trees, reducing deforestation, but also provides farmers with 40% more income per acre and reduces 1,022,000kg of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, our E0 certified boards contribute to creating cancer-free spaces, significantly impacting public health.
Leveraging our proprietary technology, we have the flexibility to work with various types of crop residue and continually explore new applications for our materials. Our recent launch of food-grade certified cutlery made from 100% crop residue exemplifies our commitment to innovation and sustainability. Looking ahead, we anticipate a growing trend towards utilizing crop residue across industries, driven by increasing environmental consciousness.
Craste is poised to lead this movement, pioneering sustainable solutions for a greener future.”