Plastic has been a boon as well as bane to mankind as the material is literally omnipresent which makes it indispensible, but non-biodegradable which makes it particularly an environment menace.
A distant cousin to plastic and equally troubling is the “Thermocol”.
The much used packaging material is a menacing force to be reckoned with!
It is non-bio-degradable, and remains in the environment – indestructible – for years, clogging drains and ocean.
Mushrooms to Tackle “Thermocol” Toxic
The story is not about the problem, but a unique solution. Two girl students from Hyderabad have made packages from mushrooms.
Yes, you read that right, your regular Pizza Topping!
Made from mushroom Mycelia and agri waste, Vadla Pranavi and Anupama Gambo from St Ann’s College in Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad, have come up with ‘Porcini Parcels’ packaging materials.
The proposal was chosen as part of Youth for Social Impact programme, a collaborative effort by the Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC), Department of Higher Education, Telangana, UNICEF India, Inqui-Lab Foundation, Y-Hub, and YuWaah.
In an interview to News18, Pranavi said: “Our mycelium bricks are fully biodegradable within 40-50 days. Mycelium is a by-product of mushroom cultivation. Our product does not require water, light or chemicals to grow. After mixing mycelia and the agricultural waste, we heat it to a temperature of over 200 degrees Celsius. This takes away all moisture and kills all mycelia, making it a stable product.”
Porcini Parcels: Affordable, Profitable Alternate to Plastic
The Porcini parcels, which have no carbon emissions, is being developed for large-scale production in WeHub, India’s first state-led incubator for women entrepreneurs.
The bricks also bring down temperature by 2-6 degrees. Therefore, they can also be used as tiles in houses.
Another important feature of such packaging is its low cost. One mycelium bed costs Rs 5. They are made from the waste of mushroom cultivation, thus enabling upcycling. Prototypes of Ganesh idol, diyas, brick, pen stand and flower vase were made to showcase the mycelium products and their strength. Through a cost analysis, it was found that the manufacturer can achieve a profit of 400% on these products.
According to the young innovators, eco-friendly Porcini Parcels can reduce the usage of plastic in everyday life by 50%. Porcini Parcels can replace the existing plastic such as thermocol, styrofoam and bubble wraps, which will reduce the pollution load in the world.
