Banana fiber board building blocks made

Researchers in the Philippines have found a use for a typically discarded part of the banana plant
that could provide homes for victims of disasters, such as Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda).
The peduncle, the part of the palm-like plant that holds the banana bunches, is capable of
producing composite fiber boards for use in construction, say researchers at the University of the
Philippines Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnolgy, who conducted a study on the plant
between February 2011 and June 2012.
They also found that the plant appendage is rich in fiber that can be used in the production of
pulp and paper and juice that can easily be extracted and put to use as a food additive.
The new uses of the plant could help reduce production costs for manufacturers and boost the
incomes of poorly paid banana farmers in the Philippines, say researchers.
We are hoping these products would be picked up by industry, said Dr. Mary Ann Tavanlar,
who led the study.
Of the various products the researchers developed through their studies, Ms. Tavanlar said she is
most optimistic about the commercial viability of the resin- and cement-bonded banana peduncle
fiber boards.
Tests showed these fiber boards were durable, elastic and absorbed water well, she said. They
could be put to good use as wall and ceiling panels for buildings.
On top of their versatility, Ms. Tavanlar said the boards required little initial investment in
manufacturing and were cheaper than other similar construction materials.
We actually just used regular tables to press the fiber boards together during our experiments,
she said.
Although businesses have yet to take up the idea, some farmers cooperatives have expressed
interest in using the technology as part of livelihood projects, said Ms. Tavanlar, whose findings
were formally presented late last year by the Philippines Bureau of Agricultural Research.
Congressman Arthur Yap, from Bohol province, which is recovering from major destruction
caused by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in October, also expressed interest in the fiber board and
is currently looking at the research to determine if the material can serve as a replacement for the
bamboo-cement houses the government and other groups are now building for those displaced
by the quake. About 80,000 homes were damaged during the temblor and at least 10,000 were

completely destroyed, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council.
When produced into a powder, Ms. Tavanlar said the banana peduncle could also be used to
enrich meat products, such as hamburgers, hot dogs and re-structured hams, giving them higher
fiber content, better moisture and higher cooking yields.
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/banana-fiber-board-building-blocks-made-220032032.html