This Indian Start-Up Turns Rice Waste Into Biodegradable Packing Foam

Dharaksha Ecosolutions uses rice stalks as a raw material. These are usually left in the ground after harvest by farmers where they are burned off to prepare for the next crop, emitting huge amounts of pollution. Dharaksha pays farmers around $74 per hectare for their rice stubble. The company bales the stubble and lets fungus grow through the stalks to act as a binding agent. This turns the rice stubble into a light, durable material which is then shaped and baked to harden it up.