Waste rice straw biomass and its burning in open fields have become a serious issue of greenhouse gases emission and air pollution, which has a negative impact on public health and the environment. However, the environmental impact of burning this agro-waste can be mitigated by diverting it towards green biorefinery through the sustainable production of energy, biofuels, organic chemicals, and building blocks for various polymers. This will not only help to reduce the reliance on limited fuels and various chemicals derived from petroleum, but also help in the restoration of the environment in a sustainable manner through its complete utilization. To maximize the inherent conversion potential of rice straw biomass into valuable products, this agriculture waste biomass requires a comprehensive analysis and a techno-economic review for its sustainable management. This review article focuses on the sustainable management of rice straw waste biomass via innovative valorization approaches, as well as the opportunities and challenges encountered in this sector for meeting the demand of current and future green biorefineries.

The felicitous tourist destination “Hills Queen” and the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, an enticing state in the Himalayan region, are met with water crisis every year and jaundice outbreaks occasionally. In 2016, there was a severe jaundice outbreak in Shimla city. In a contemporaneous investigation, we attempted to trace out the possible reason for these crises in Shimla. Samples were collected month wise from different water-supply sources and their physicochemical and microbial loads were analyzed. The microbiological examination found a totally excessive microbial load (1.064 × 10⁹ cfu/mL on common) throughout the year with a maximum (>1.98 × 10¹⁰ cfu/mL) in the wet season and minimum (>3.00 × 10⁷ cfu/mL) in the winter. Biochemical and morphological evaluation confirmed that most of the water resources reported a high number of coliforms and Gram-negative microorganisms due to sewage-water infiltration. These microorganisms in the water are responsible for the liver infection that ultimately causes jaundice. For safe and potable water, infiltration of municipal wastewater must be prevented at any cost. Scientific disposal of wastewater and purification of uncooked water have to be conducted earlier than consumption or use for different domestic functions, to avoid water crises and fetal ailment outbreaks in the near future.