When the world is concerned about the environmental impact of polythene and polypropylene bags, people are going to get a solution from Bangladesh. Although no trade name has been set yet, it can be referred to as a 'jute poly bag'.
Several times many biodegradable and eco-friendly bags have been launched around the world but have not been tolerated due to evaluation. This time, Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, a Bangladeshi scientist working as a scientific advisor to the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and former chief scientific officer of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, discovered an organically improved and environmentally friendly bag made from jute cellulose, which is considered a great achievement for Bangladesh. No official name for the bag has been given yet but a proposal will be made to the ministers to name it 'Golden Bag' soon.
Figure 1: Optical microscopic image of jute microfiber in ‘Jute Poly Bag’.
Figure 1: Optical microscopic image of jute microfiber in ‘Jute Poly Bag’.
Property and chemical ingredients
The bag looks like a polythene bag but in reality it is not. Energy like polythene bags is also almost 100% environmentally friendly, durable, recyclable and will mix with the soil in just 3-4 months where polythene took even 2oo years. The colors used are also food grade.
The main chemical constituents are -
Jute cellulose
Synthetic polymers as binders (biodegradable)
Cross linkers for chemical reactions
Jute contains about 72-75% cellulose and can extract 50-55%.
Cost and feasibility
Since many of the previous inventions could not survive in the market due to high prices, it is a big challenge to keep the prices reasonable and possible for the public for this ‘jute poly bag’. The inventor of this bag, Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, hopes that when it is mass-produced, the price will be within reach. The main raw material which means jute is available in Bangladesh and that is why he expects the price to be reasonable.
The cost will depend on such variables
Raw material availability and cost
Cost of equipment
Process costs
Banking and other facilities provided by the government
Uses
This bag is a value added product and should therefore be categorized for this use. According to Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, it can be used in garments packaging. The bags can also be used for food packaging. Dr. Khan is doing more to increase the use of ice cream to cover. For a long time he packed red gram, rice, sugar and even dairy milk to test the quality change and contamination but there was no contamination or quality problem. That means the bag is not harmful to human health. A.K. Nazmuzzaman, an adviser to BJMC's jute production department, recently told a television channel that the world is now concerned about the high environment and that is why we are going to create jute poly bags that will meet local demand and take over the international market.
Figure 2: Garment products and food products are packed for quality testing.
Figure 2: Garment products and food products are packed for quality testing.
Production and potential
It’s not just for replacing plastic bags; It has world market potential. In the meantime, BJMC has taken initiative to build a pilot in addition to BJMC to acquire 7-8 acres of land in Narsingdi, where 4-5 tons of bags will be produced daily. Around 500 billion bags are used every day worldwide and if Bangladesh uses all the jute produced in Bangladesh and produces bags, a quarter of the world's demand can be met. So it can be said that there is a business opportunity of billions to trillions of dollars for Bangladesh with this bag.
Figure 3: ‘Jute Poly Bag’ sample.
Bangladesh may in future demand a Geographical Indication (GI) product like Jamdani Saree which will enhance its global value and protect the rights of Bangladesh. If the government. Encourages and facilitates jute growers but soon the proposed ‘golden bag’ will be a new hope for Bangladesh globally and people will find suitable alternatives to plastic bags.
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