On June 14, Mathuria applied for a patent at the Controller of Patent Office in New Delhi. Manufactured by blending the linseed stalk power with High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE), the biodegradable plastic sheets can be used for conduit pipes, bathroom partitions and plastic boards.

In-charge of CSIR’s all India co-ordinated research project on linseed and sesame, Mathuria said: “I had been working on the project since 2003 and once everything was in place, I filed for the patent on June 14.”

According to him, after extracting the seed from the linseed plant, the stalk is usually thrown as waste. “At CSA, we developed the technology to use the stalk to develop eco-friendly plastic sheet,” he said.

According to him, the stalks are tied in bundles which are soaked in a small pond for four to five days. Once the bundles begin to smell rotten, they are dried under the sun and then grinded.

The entire process of extracting fine powder from linseed stalk takes seven to eight days. Thereafter, the linseed powder is blended with HDPE to manufacture the plastic sheet.

The testing of the plastic quality was carried out at the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology, Lucknow, and “the test results revealed that eco-friendly plastic sheets are lighter in weight, more durable than normal plastic sheets and have an increased tensile strength.”

The new product has water absorbing qualities. Mathuria said farmers could now sell the stalk and earn extra money. Common plastic sheets are not biodegradable, unlike the plastic sheets made from linseed stalks.