Proposal by Saloni Goyal, Neelam Karnatak, Vernit Bindal, Shashank Bansal – IIM Ahmedabad

High value applications like packaging from agricultural waste without competing with food or fodder
source

India generates 350 million tonnes of agriculture waste every year. The waste is burnt or dumped by
farmers which causes soil, air and water pollution. The stubble burning in states of Haryana, Punjab is
one of the major causes of air pollution in Delhi. India also ranks first in the amount of food wasted
across the world. The country wastes food worth of US$14 billion every year. This biomass can be
utilized to produce environmentally friendly biodegradable and compostable packaging which is not
only sustainable but is also cheap. India ranks third contributing around 8% to the world’s potato
production. About 16% of potatoes in India goes as waste due to various reasons potatoes, besides
posing disposal issue, results in greenhouse gases emission affecting the environment
Our Big Ideas to utilize waste:
 The starch rich waste can be separated to form bioplastics (poly lactic acid) – currently we are
in the prototype development stage
 The waste from sugar refineries like baggase can be used to form disposable crockery via pulping

Exhibits:
Credentials:
 1st out of 139 business ideas – won Rs. 30,000– Masterplan(B plan) by CIIE IIM-A, Matrix
Partners and Siemens
 One of the ideas of producing bioplastics has already being recognized by Government of
Himachal Pradesh along with Start-up India programme of GOI.
 Reliance TUP 4.0 Campus Winner – IIM Ahmedabad – Won cash prize worth Rs. 50,000
 Featured in Times of India, Zee News, Business standard, Silicon India, The Hans

Carbon footprint of bioplastics

 1.The residual sugarcane fibers are stored wet in order to remove short fibers and
residual sugar because they may hinder the further processing.

1.The bagasse is blended with water until the compounds have developed into a
pulp.

1.Biodegradable bleachers are added. In this step, it is also possible to add further
additives. The pulp is poured into a form and pressed into the desired shape by the
aid of high temperatures and pressure.

1.The bagasse plates, bowls, and containers are ready for their application.

Production of Disposable crockery via pulping

•Waste potatoes Objective 2 •Selected Objective 4 •Several qualitative

to be procured microbes will be tests:- tear
from nearby •Coarse cleaning of utilized for •Polymerization strength,
potato storage potatoes, rasping, saccharification of Poly lactic acid susceptibility to
sieving, & fermentation using suitable microbial
go-downs
separation, plasticizing agent decomposition
in reactors-PLA
reffination and •Extrusion
Objective 1 filtration Objective 3 Objective 5

Production of bioplastics from waste potatoes

Products from bioplastic Potential Applications Potential Customers

Films Floriculture, Carry bags for shopping, Packaging Hotels, F&B Industry, Retail stores
material for foodstuff, Bin liners for Hotels
Disposable crockery Restaurants, Parties Restaurants, Households
Bottles Beverages and Detergent Industries F&B Industries
Electrical insulator Plastic casing Automotive & Electronics
Industries
Applications

Range of applications
Value Preposition