Bamboo-based Reusable Straw
Recently the Botanical Survey of India has received a patent for bamboo-based reusable straws developed from the bamboo species ‘Schizostachyum andamanicum’ found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Patent Office of the Government of India has granted a patent to the Botanical Survey of India for ‘Bamboo based reusable straw and its manufacture’.
The morpho-anatomical structure of bamboo was similar to that of modern synthetic drinking straws, which has inspired this eco-friendly invention.
This highlights the economic potential of bamboo to replace plastic straws with organic alternatives.
Key Points:
- The bamboo species Schizostachyum andamanicum was discovered about three decades ago on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Granting of patent to reusable straw and its manufacturing will boost its economic potential.
- This species of bamboo is characterized by a thin large hollow erect culm (stem) with long internodes and the ability to grow into a straw form. This is a new way to replace plastic straws with organic alternatives.
- This is a future technology to enhance the economy of farmers and bamboo growers of Andaman and Nicobar Islands island, if they cultivate this endemic bamboo species on a commercial scale.
- The patent was applied for in 2018 and the patent received in 2023. The morphological-anatomical structure of the pen internodes of endemic bamboo was similar to that of modern synthetic drinking straws, leading to the idea of the invention of straws.
Botanical Survey of India
- It is a botanical scientific institute under the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of India. It was established in the year 1890.
- Its objective was to survey the plant resources of the British Empire. Its headquarters is located in Kolkata.
- It is a premier organization of India responsible for scientific research and documentation of the country’s plant diversity.
Source – PIB
