Coir pots, better than clay pots

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, a constituent laboratory under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has joined hands with Sevashram, an NGO based in Angamaly, Ernakulam, for setting up a a manufacturing facility to produce coir-rubber composite pots from coir fibre waste.   A statement from NIIST said that disposing the coir fibre waste from the industries poses a serious issue. Using the process know-how developed by CSIR-NIIST, coir fibre waste is bonded by natural rubber latex (NRL) and formed into continuous sheets, which could be used for the production of garden pots, rigid/flexible panels or floor tiles.   It said that, besides eco-friendliness and bio-degradability, these pots would also be lightweight, have more durability, weather-resistant and cost-effective, when compared to clay pots of similar capacity.  The pots could also be produced in aesthetic designs, shapes and colours, according to customer requirements, the statement said. In the long run, the preformed coir sheets could also be used as ‘reinforcing piles’ for composite products such as rubber floor tiles, laminates and rigid composites as partition boards.  The joint venture aims at creating wealth from waste and alleviation of environmental problems caused by coir fibre waste to at least a small extent. Sevashramam is a registered charitable society, which is engaged in creating employment opportunities for socially and economically backward entrepreneurs.   The statement said that with the trend of kitchen gardening catching on, both in urban and rural areas, there should be high demand for the coir pots as a substitute to clay pots.