Technology details:
The technology provides an environmentally friendly, microbial-mediated (green) method for preparing pulp from rice straw and producing disposable dishes from the same. It involves a microbial consortium comprising Bacillus sp. LB 8 and Penicillium sp. LF 3, which reduces cost and carbon/environmental footprint by 60-70% through the use of low temperature (60°C) and a low concentration of NaOH (6%). The process for producing disposable dishes from rice straw pulp includes providing rice straw pulp slurry, manually sieving the slurry, pressing it with a Dabpress machine to form pulp sheets, drying the sheets at 40°C, and then converting the dried sheets into biodegradable dishes using a suitable mold machine.