KARACHI:
Rice harvesting season is about to begin in Pakistan. And with that, the smog season will also begin because rice farmers have traditionally burned the waste from rice farms which creates smog that persists in Punjab during winters causing myriad problems. The reason why rice farmers burn the rice waste is because rice plant contains 14-20% silica. This silica can damage animals if it is used as feed and can damage equipment if it is converted into paper or cardboard.
In China and Vietnam the rice waste is first treated with alkaline solution to remove silica. The silica collected is highly valuable and sold to companies which manufacture electronic parts. The remaining material can then easily be processed into feed silage or paper or card board.
The Punjab government and Rice exporters association in the country can work together to stop rice burning and smog eruption. To achieve this they need to establish the supply chain for collection of rice waste from farmers. Private firms can be tasked to process this waste to remove silica and export it. Paper, cardboard and animal feed companies can then buy the rice waste with no silica and use it for their own manufacturing.
This will help create a new industry for rice waste. Farmers will get additional income. Pakistan will start new exports of silica, while already established paper, cardboard and feed industries will get new feed stock supply. The solution to the growing smog menace is there, it only needs to be implemented.
Shahryar Khan Baseer
Islamabad
