Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A postgraduate student from Uzbekistan has developed a technology for producing paper from cotton stalks. His research, conducted at the Higher School of Natural Sciences and Technologies of SAFU, aims to address the challenges of cotton waste disposal and raw material shortages in the paper industry in agricultural countries. SAFU’s press service reported the development.

The project was initiated by Ismoil Sodikov, who brought raw materials from his homeland for experimentation. He noted that Uzbekistan, a leading producer of calico and exporter of cotton, generates large amounts of woody cotton stalks after harvest, which are mostly burned or used in agriculture.

"Cellulose can be obtained from any fibrous material, and I had the idea to establish a paper production industry in Uzbekistan based on cotton stalks. This could help meet the country’s paper demand without the need for large factories," the researcher explained.

The project is being implemented within SAFU’s Innovation and Technology Center for "Modern Biorefinery Technologies of the North." According to Natalia Shcherbak, head of the Department of Pulp and Paper and Forest Chemical Production, similar technologies were used in the Soviet Union and are now being adapted to modern requirements.

With the growing demand for packaging materials in Uzbekistan, this innovation could play a significant role in the development of the country’s pulp and paper industry.