Palm Oil Waste into Cuan, IPB Researcher Reveals the Potential of MSMEs from Helmets to Batik

JAKARTA - Palm oil waste has great potential to be used to make various products and handicrafts for MSMEs that have high added value.

Lecturer and researcher at the IPB University Palm Oil Study Center, Siti Nikmatin, said the utilization of palm oil waste into products and handicrafts for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) not only increases economic value, but also supports the development of a more sustainable and environmentally friendly national palm oil industry.

Nikmatin explained that the optimization of waste potential shows that palm oil commodities have strategic value that can be developed sustainably so that they can provide broad benefits for the lives of Indonesian people.

"For example, the utilization of empty oil palm bunches or TKKS which have abundant supplies and have great potential," he said in a written statement received by VOI, Monday, July 27.

He explained, the volume of palm oil waste in Indonesia is very large.

The availability of empty bunches is abundant in PKS because it is assumed that about 23 percent of the TBS will be empty bunches with a dry matter content of 35 percent.

Based on these conditions, the potential availability of TKKS in Indonesia is estimated to reach 16 million tons per year and will continue to increase in line with the increase in national TBS production.

"So, every day there will be a pile of palm oil waste at the CPO processing plant," he said.

Nikmatin said that the initiative to develop waste-based palm oil-based MSME products has been carried out by business actors in Indonesia.

He gave an example of PT Intertisi Material Maju (IMM) which is able to process TKKS into various high-value-added UMKM products such as helmets, bags, footwear, batik, bulletproof vests, to air conditioner (AC) filters for motor vehicles.

He explained that TKKS has only been used as organic fertilizer around the factory area.

Through innovation, this waste can be processed into raw materials for various products that have higher economic value.

"Currently I process empty bunches at PT Intertisi Material Maju to become value-added UMKM products. I take (empty bunches) at PTPN or at IPB," he said.

Nikmatin said that the development of palm oil waste-based SME products at PT Intertisi Material Maju started from research activities which began in 2015 with funding support from the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP).

According to him, BPDP has an important role in encouraging research and innovation related to the utilization of palm oil waste.

This support not only provides economic benefits through the creation of innovative and competitive products, but also has a positive impact on the environment because it is able to reduce industrial waste.

From a social perspective, the development also opens up opportunities for community empowerment around the plantation area and processing plants through involvement in the production process.