Bhavnagar-based CSMCRI gets European patent for biodegradable plastic

Bhavnagar, 16 January 2014

Gujarat’s Bhavnagar based Central Salt Marine Chemicals and Research Institute (CSMCRI) has been granted an European patent for developing biodegradable plastic which is also known as green plastic from Jatropha which is a drought-resistant plant. Biodegradable plastic is separated as a by-product while manufacturing bio-diesel from the seeds of jatropha at CSMCRI.

According to director of CSMCRI Shri Pushpito K Ghosh, the patent will help CSMCRI to commercially develop the process of manufacturing bio-degradable plastics in India. He said at CMSCRI they isolated residue of Jatropha called glycerol and used microbes from soil and ocean environments to turn this glycerol into plastic, through a 96-hour-long fermentation process. He said CSMCRI laboratory has so far managed to produce 10 grams green plastic, which degrades within six-months in soil. The next target is to produce a kilogram of such plastic and making it commercial viable. Getting the right properties of plastic like tensile strength, etc are other tasks to perform.