The NRL-Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Materials Translational Facility on Bioplastics aims to address the environmental concerns associated with conventional plastics and develop alternative solutions
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has established the NRL – Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sustainable Materials Translational Facility on Bioplastics at its campus to work towards the development of environment-friendly sustainable plastics. Environmental concerns associated with existing plastics have resulted in an urgent need to develop alternatives that should have practically identical performance properties at comparable production cost.
The partnership between IIT Guwahati and NRL for establishing the CoE for Sustainable Materials Translational Facility on Bioplastics is an academic-industrial collaboration. This venture will foster R&D work along with the production of biodegradable plastics utilising the waste and intermediate materials.
The recently established Translational Facility on Bioplastics at IIT Guwahati houses the first biodegradable plastic production pilot plant along with several processing facilities for various biodegradable plastic products such as compostable cutlery, carry bags, plastic containers and glasses, among others, using customised film packaging line, injection molding, cast sheet line and thermoforming products line. These facilities will help in sensitising the industries throughout the country to gain initial know-how for developing commercial production facilities to cater to the need of a sustainable society.
The current global emphasis on environmental sustainability has made it necessary to develop eco-friendly products using inexpensive renewable sources. The NRL-Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Materials Translational Facility on Bioplastics recently inaugurated by the Governor of Assam, Gulab Chand Kataria will act as a catalyst to boost this global mission.
