Converting Waste Agricultural Biomass into a Resource - UNEP

Main Products 198
Abaca fiber comes from the stalk of the plant. It is processed into fiber craft,
cordage, textile and fabrics, pulp, and specialty papers like currency notes,
cigarette paper, meat and sausage casings, teabags, stencil paper, high-tech
capacitor paper, etc.
Pineapple is a herbaceous plant with long, narrow, fairly stiff leaves with
margins usually spiny except in few varieties. The fiber is extracted from the
leaves of the pineapple plant. This method produces good quality fibers and
makes possible the separation of the liniuan (fine fiber) from the bastos
(coarse fiber). Liniuan is the material used in weaving the elegant piña cloth.
Job Potential 199
A total of 13 laborers will be employed to operate the autofed-decorticating
machine continuously for 8 hours.
Operation and Maintenance Requirements
Production of 300 kgs/day is attainable. Likewise, the working model showed
a fiber recovery of 3.34%. With this information, an estimate of the profit and
loss statement was prepared. As shown in the following table, an ROI of
6.18% is attainable.
Environmental Considerations
Social Considerations
The primary beneficiaries of the project are the abaca industry in general and
the abaca farmers, in particular. The introduction and adoption of improved
extraction machines and recommended higher yielding abaca varieties are
expected to increase abaca production and generate additional employment
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