CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Lakhimpur Kheri. A giant industrial machine weighing around 200 tonnes, brought to India from Belgium, has reached the plant at Kumbhi in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. The machine was brought by sea to Odisha’s Paradip port and then transported by road to its destination with the help of a special multi-axle trailer. During the journey of nearly six months, the heavy vehicle had to pass through several states and difficult routes. The movement of the machine on the huge trailer remained a centre of attraction for people.

What exactly will this machine do? The machine is called a “cyclization reactor”. It is among the key machinery for the bioplastic plant being set up at Kumbhi. The plan is to produce polylactic acid (PLA) here using sugar obtained from sugarcane. For this, lactic acid will first be prepared from sugar through a fermentation process. PLA will then be produced through various chemical stages. This material can be used to make packaging, cups, trays and other products.

Rs 3,080 crore project

The estimated cost of the plant being developed at Kumbhi is stated to be around Rs 3,080 crore. In the initial phase of the project, the target is to produce about 80,000 tonnes of PLA annually. It is being developed as an integrated industrial project to make bioplastic from sugarcane. After the machine’s arrival, its installation, testing and other technical preparations have to be completed. The project management has expressed hope that production will begin in November 2026.

Will this reduce plastic pollution? Bioplastics such as PLA can become alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics in some products. However, their environmental benefits depend on how the product is used and how it is disposed of. PLA does not rapidly degrade on its own in every situation; its decomposition may require specific conditions. The project is expected to provide a new market for sugarcane-based industries and increase industrial activity at the local level. However, the actual assessment of employment, production and environmental benefits will be possible only after the plant begins regular operations.

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