UAE | Environment
Betel leaves used to make biodegradable plates
Distributed under the brand name Harmony by LTC International LLC, the eco-friendly disposable bioplate, already used in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, is now available in the UAE.
- By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 February 8, 2010
- Image Credit: Gulf News archive
- Walls stained from chewed and spat-out betel leaves in Dubai.
Dubai Rather than staining the pavements after being chewed and spat out, the betel leaf is being put to good use by a Dubai-based company. The orange staining leaf is the main ingredient of simple dinner plates that are totally biodegradable, giving picnickers fewer tools with which to pollute the environment.
Distributed under the brand name Harmony by LTC International LLC, the eco-friendly disposable bioplate, already used in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, is now available in the UAE.
Made entirely of fallen betel nut leaves from the Areca Palm, the Harmony bioplate biodegrades naturally within two months, which makes it much easier to dispose of and completely safe for the environment.
Kishan Gidwani, Chief Operating Officer, LTC International, said using disposable products that are biodegradable will contribute immensely in cutting down the amount of environmentally harmful waste that we produce on a daily basis.
"It is probably impossible to account for all the plastic disposable plates that are being disposed of every day and how many of them eventually end up as environmental pollutants and safety hazards," he said.
According to LTC International, plastics in Dubai alone account for over 17 per cent of the 3.4 million tonnes of waste produced per year. Although recycling facilities have been set up all over the emirate, much of the plastic waste still ends up polluting the seas, clogging up waterways or being consumed and causing the death of desert animals.
The bioplates are made completely of natural materials and there are no chemicals, resins, dyes, strengthening agents or synthetic materials that are used in the manufacturing process, making them 100 per cent non-toxic and safe for everyday use.
Only fallen betel leaves are used in manufacturing the Harmony bioplates, thus no trees are cut or harmed in the process.
The bioplate can be used in the microwave, refrigerator or when baking food.
More from UAE Environment
More from UAE
Latest news
- Bridges needed
- Sharjah festival to enlighten heritage lovers
- Reimbursement of ID card fines to start in March
- Last chance for subscribers to win big
- Gang charged with robbery using air-freshener
- it was just a ‘vampire' game, driver tells court
- Restaurateur in Abu Dhabi found dead in flat
- Dubai Police solve murder mystery
- Educating fussy Emirati jobseekers
- 9 injured as paraglider crashes into stadium
- Abu Dhabi Police rescue victims of car crash
- Compensation to vary for fire victims
- Police honour residents who reported crime
- Move to promote Abu Dhabi tourism
- RTA: 0.25m YouTube, Facebook, Twitter followers
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
