DU students develop biodegradable cutlery with embedded vegetable seeds that can sprout

Delhi University’s Ramjas College students developed biodegradable cutlery from stubble with vegetable seeds embedded in them. It has the potential to address pollution and unemployment problems. The food can be served using the cutlery and the products can be planted after use so the seeds in them can germinate. The cutlery has been designed to address a multitude of problems, including the menace of stubble burning, waste produced by paper and plastic plates, and continuous deforestation.

Tanya Agarwal, Development Director of Enactus Ramjas Organisational said: “Project Waraq aims to tackle the problem of food insecurity, air pollution, and unemployment. Also, the project is going to produce biodegradable plates made of stubble and plant seeds which will be later planted and will grow into new plants increasing the nutrient levels in the day-to-day diet.” She further stated that by involving gardeners throughout the process, we are going to provide them with additional livelihood. Also, the project is planning to sell the plates to schools, old-age homes, orphanages, and canteens which then enter into self-sustainable models of operations.

She also said that ‘Project Waraq’ is going to provide jobs and the group is also going to expand its reach to 100 schools with a mid-day meal scheme. The project will expand its reach to 50 north Indian villages housing 100 schools.

She further said that the project aims to combine nutritional and environmental welfare. There are around 5,600 tonnes of plastic waste generated in India daily, and a huge portion of single-use plastic in our collective footprint comes from dining cutlery. The utility of paddy straw by processing them into seed plates. Also, it is going to prevent the emission of 12 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide and the Waraq project will be responsible for the re-plantation of 15 lakh trees.