Agricultural waste today is tomorrow’s gold! 
Thailand has developed an innovative bioprocess to transform rice husks into high-purity, premium-grade silica using natural microbes instead of harsh chemicals. This technology cuts costs, reduces pollution, and adds value to agricultural byproducts in line with the BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) model.

The research team’s breakthrough involves extracting silica from rice husks without chemical agents, achieving 96-97% purity with a carbon footprint 30 times lower than traditional methods. Production costs stand at about 100 baht per kilogram, while the global market prices range from 1,000 to 3,000 baht per kilogram.

Key game-changing benefits include:

✅ Utilization of 8 million tons of rice husks annually that were previously discarded

✅ Cutting Thailand’s reliance on imported silica by 60%

✅ Application in high-end industries such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and electronics

“Waste is not worthless—the overlooked rice husks are transforming into a vital raw material shaping Thailand’s industrial future!”

This innovation is currently being transferred to the private sector and scaled up for industrial use, driving an eco-friendly circular economy. Thailand is not only a top rice producer but also turning waste into valuable assets!

For more information: King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi

Link: https://www.kmutt.ac.th