Bannana Leaf Sheath Board

Banana leaf sheath is a waste from the Banana plantation that gets rot and is of a nuisance value. Technology has been developed to produce particle board for ceiling tiles, door infill, etc.

Laboratory technology to manufacture panel materials from Banana leaf sheath in combination with wood veneer have been developed by RRL Thiruvananthapuram (RRL.T) under the project funded by BMTPC. Up-gradation /up-scaling this technology to pilot scale was carried out at IPIRTI to evolve industrial scale parameters as also to study its techno-economic feasibility for its successful commercialization. Its adoption will help to reduce wood consumption while utilizing a waste from horticulture i.e. banana sheath. In addition to easing pressure on wood, the Banana Leaf Sheath usage of banana leaf sheath for commercial purpose for making wood alternate would also generate additional income to the farmers who grow banana plants in large scale and would help to improve their economic status. Technology has been developed to produce particle board for ceiling tiles, door infill, etc. However, further refinement in technology is required for commercial viability of the product.

However the RHPB technology developed by IPIRTI was transferred in 1985 to National Development Corporation (NRDC) of New Delhi, India, and they inturn to to M/S Padmavathy Panel Boards Pvt. Ltd (PPBL), Bangalore, Karnataka in 1987. The institute also worked through PPBL to overcome the problem generally encountered in transferring any technology from lab to factory.