A two-decade engineering push has culminated in what is the world's first production facility to sustainably manufacture medium-density fiberboard (MDF) from post-harvest rice straw waste that has no added formaldehyde. California law bans the burning of leftover rice stalks after harvest, so flooding fields and letting the stalks rot has been the only way to prepare for future planting. The CalPlant LLC facility on 276 acres in the Sacramento Valley now uses the waste to make Eureka MDF, a board that matches the performance of traditional wood and can be a component for furniture, cabinetry, doors and moldings. The company sources its rice straw from within an average 25-mile radius of the plant, providing a local benefit in both jobs and sustainability. The region produces 20% of the country's rice.
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