Develop plastic container products based on cassava banana leaves

A group of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) researchers from the Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Technology (FTKMP) and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering succeeded in developing an innovative plastic container product based on cassava and banana leaves.

Its Chief Researcher who is also a FTKMP Senior Lecturer Dr Ridhwan Jumaidin said the tray-shaped plastic container can be used for product packaging in addition to being environmentally friendly and reducing the implications of environmental pollution.

The innovation product development project took about a year through short-term research grant funds and it is expected to be the main ingredient in the production of single-use products that can reduce environmental pollution.

This plastic product is free of toxic and harmful chemicals when compared to the common plastic that is often used at the moment because the basic material of its production is petroleum thus producing toxic when disposed of through burning.

This synthetic plastic from petroleum cannot be disposed of if thrown into the ground, river or sea, while plastic based on cassava and banana leaves can be disposed of in only eight weeks if planted in the ground

The innovative product is also thermoplastic, which means it can be recycled and produce different product shapes, thus saving the resources used and adding value to it.

The initial idea of developing the innovation product was sparked when he realized the reality of the current environmental situation which is becoming more and more polluted due to the disposal of plastic waste that does not dissolve, especially in rivers, seas and land.

The situation endangers the balance of nature, flora and fauna, such as the case of finding plastic in the stomachs of turtles and whales, and even that material is the main cause of death of the animals in question.

The main challenge of producing the innovative product is to obtain the stability and strength of the material and the banana leaf which is the core and reinforcing structure.

UTeM through its research group continues to creatively develop innovative products that have an impact on the global community.

The research carried out always follows current trends and UTeM is always at the forefront of the wave of technological modernization that occurs at the national and global level.

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