Scraps to sheets: Student turns food waste into paper towels
In California, a high school student has developed a process for turning food waste into absorbent paper towels, earning recognition at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Arnav Kodavati’s approach extracts cellulose fibers from discarded food and combines them with pectin, a naturally occurring plant-based polymer. The food scraps are first dried, ground and treated to remove unwanted components, leaving cellulose-rich fibers that can be formed into paper-like sheets.
The sheets are then treated with calcium chloride. Calcium ions crosslink the pectin molecules, strengthening the material and helping it remain intact when wet. The project explored how sheet weight, pore structure and pectin concentration affect the balance between absorbency and wet strength. Kodavati estimates that the material could cost about $2.98 per 100 sheets at scale, compared with an estimated $3.40 per 100 sheets for the sustainable paper towel used as a benchmark.
Category: Chemicals & Materials
