Techno-Economic Evaluation of Rice Straw Conversion into Sustainable Packaging: A Viable Solution to Stubble Burning

Authors: Makdud Islam; Akhouri Sanjay Kumar Sinha; Kamlesh Prasad

Book: Sustainable Food Innovations: Product Development, Packaging, and Waste Valorization

Editors: K. Prasad, S. Shekhar and H. K. Sharma

Publisher: SLIET Longowal

Publication year: 2026

Publication date: 2026-10-02

ISBN: 978-81-990304-2-8 (e-book); 978-81-990304-3-5 (hardback)

Chapter pages: 45–56

DOI: To be added after DOI registration.

Abstract

Open-field burning of rice straw in paddy-producing countries poses a significant environmental challenge, contributing substantially to greenhouse gas emissions and particulate pollution. This study addresses this issue by converting rice straw into cellulose nanofiber (CNF)–based nanopaper for food packaging applications. Rice straw was processed through optimised organosolv pulping using a formic acid–acetone solvent system, followed by a three-stage DED (chlorine dioxide–alkali–chlorine dioxide) bleaching sequence to obtain high-purity cellulose pulp. The bleached pulp was mechanically fibrillated to 90° SR using a Valley beater and formed into nanopaper sheets by vacuum filtration and drying. To enhance moisture resistance and surface hydrophobicity, the nanopaper was surface sized with 1 wt.% alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) wax and thermally cured. In a previous study, the developed CNF nanopaper exhibited a 2.6-fold increase in tensile index and a 3.8-fold increase in burst index compared with less-refined pulp sheets, confirming the formation of a dense and well-bonded nanofiber network. AKD sizing also significantly reduced the water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) and Cobb values, imparting improved water, oil, and grease resistance suitable for dry-food and secondary packaging applications. To evaluate industrial feasibility, a comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) was conducted for a nominal production capacity of 1,500 kg day⁻¹ under MSME-scale conditions. The total fixed capital investment was estimated at ₹3.0 crore, while the all-in production cost was calculated as ₹234.48 per kg. At an assumed selling price of ₹260 per kg, the process generates an annual revenue of ₹11.70 crore and a net annual profit of approximately ₹1.15 crore, resulting in a payback period of 2.61 years. Sensitivity analysis identified solvent recovery efficiency, raw material price, and utility consumption as the dominant economic drivers influencing profitability. Overall, this study demonstrates that rice straw-derived, AKD-sized CNF nano paper is a technically feasible, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable packaging solution, enabling agricultural residue valorisation, stubble-burning mitigation, and circular bioeconomy development with strong potential for MSME-scale deployment.

Keywords: Rice straw; Cellulose nanofibers; Sustainable packaging; Techno-economic analysis; Circular bioeconomy

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