Wastes to Wealth
Mohd Azemi Mohd Noor
Harun Sarip
Universiti Kuala Lumpur
Content
Brief overview of agriculture wastes
Characteristics of agriculture wastes
Biomass and sustainable food security
Wastes utilisation
Oil palm derived wastes (biomass)
Patented technology
Platform green chemicals
Biodegradable consumer items
The Way Forward
Are WASTES really ‘WASTES’ of no
values, harmful to healthy and
sustainable ecosystem ???
Characteristics of Agriculture Wastes:
Biomass
Renewable
Biomass
Continuous supply of different
forms and quantities
Abundant
Sustainable Source of Carbon
Improper post
harvest handling of
fresh agriculture
produces ie storage,
logistic
Structural
morphology of
agriculture raw
materials ie low
extraction rate
Climatic changes
Inefficient farm
practices and
procedures
Accumulation of
Wastes (Biomass)
Agriculture wastes of different
forms and quantities are
continuously generated
Minimisation of losses
Improper post
harvest handling of
fresh agriculture
produces ie storage,
logistic
About 1 billion people are going hungry
yet we wasted about 1/3 of our edible
produce/food
Utilisation of wastes : Food
and Energy
Post harvest losses due to
improper handling
7
Structural Morphology of
Agriculture Raw Materials
Example: Average oil
extraction rate of palm oil
is only about 20%.
Remainder are wastes in
the form of lignocellulosic
fibres
Inefficient farm practices and procedures

Inadequate adoption of modern agricultural practices and technology
Climatic changes: Shifting on wheather
pattern
 Droughts:
Affecting plant growth
pattern and yield of essential
commodities (low yield)
 Flooding: Irreversible damage to crops
Utilisation of Agriculture Waste
(Biomass)
 Generate
new cluster of biobased / green
industries
 Significant component of “circular
economy”
 Support and enhance sustainable food
security
 Sustainable environment
Creating Sustainable
Green/Biobased
Industries
Sustainable
supply of
renewable
biomass
Clear Policy on
maintaining and
ensuring
sustainable
source of biomass
Indigenious
Environmental
Compliant
Technology
Generate
New Cluster
of Green
Industries
(Biomass)
Biobased/Biomass clusters industries
compliment circular economy
 Produce
no wastes and pollution by design
or intention ;restorative and regenerative
by design.
 Creating
values by converting biomass into
value added products (food and non food)
through environmental friendly processes
 Recycleable
Impact of biomass
clusters industries to
circular economy
Sustainable
income
Social
Entrepreneurship
Circular
Economy
Environmental
Compliant
Zero Wastes
Creating values to biomass significantly
contribute toward sustainable food security

Issues and challenges related to sustainable food security evolved beyond
providing sufficient and sustainable healthy food but to a more dynamic
situation linking environment, food preference and business opportunities.

Environment is the key factor to sustain food security ; positively contributes
toward sustainable food supply chain. Impact of not properly managed
biomass to environment is highly significant

Generation of reusable ‘wastes’ (biomass) along food supply chain is
inevitable
Creating values to biomass
significantly contribute
toward sustainable food
security
Contribute towards
achieving waste
minimisation
strategies
Biomass
Utilisation
for value
added
products
For sustainable
uninterrupted food supply
chain
Minimise impact of
depleting quality
resources for sustainable
food security
ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY
THROUGH PROPER MANAGEMENT OF WASTES
(BIOMASS)

Interface/Synergise components
of Food Security:
Utilisation
Stability
Access
Availability
THREAT TO SUSTAINABLE
FOOD SECURITY
PROPER
MANAGEMENT OF
WASTES (BIOMASS)
ENHANCE
SUSTAINABLE FOOD
SECURITY BY
MINIMISING THREAT
TO SUSTAINABLE
FOOD SECURITY
Environment
Social Policy
Resources
Technology
19
Malaysia: Employ
about 885,000
workers both
upstream and
downstream
Malaysia:5.04
million hectar
South East Asia:
12.1 million hectar
Fourth
Largest
Component of
National
Economy
Oil Palm
Industries
Oil Palm (OP) biomass account for nearly
80 % and 40 % of total renewable
biomass generated annually in Malaysia
and Asia respectively
Plantation
derived
Oil Palm
Mills
derived
• Frond (OPF)
• Trunk (OPT)
O
I
L
P
A
L
M
• Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB)
• Palm Kernel Cake (PKC)
• Shell
• Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME)
• Palm Press Fibres
B
I
O
M
A
S
S
Annual oil palm (OP) biomass production
(Malaysia)
Oil palm biomass fraction
Yield (dw Mmtons/year)
EFB-empty fruit bunches
6.7
PKS-palm kernel shells
4.0
OPF-Oil palm fronds
47.7
OPT-Oil palm trunks
13.0
MF-mesocarp fiber
7.1
POME-palm oil mill effluent
3.1
OP biomass

Raw biomass is valueless and contributes to the
environmental degradation problem if not
properly managed (POME)

Plantation derived OP biomass (OPT and OPF)
normally left in the plantation for recycling of
nutrients and to improve soil properties
Value Chain of
Biomass
Industries
Inclusion of
small scale
producers and
low skilled
labourers in
modern biomass
value chains
Sustainable
Food
Security
Creating
additional
employment and
income by
increasing
opportunities for
SMEs in biomass
value chain
Local, small
scale value
adding by
local
processing
Creation of Wealth
from OP Biomass
Biorefinary
• Platform Green
Chemical
• Food
ingredients and
feed
Bioenergy
Biodegradable
component
• Second
Generation
Bioethanol
• Combustion
• Consumer items
• Industrial items
OP biomass
cluster of
Sustainable OP biomass
industries
viable
cluster industries
highly
dependence
on availability
due
to sustainable
of OP biomass (different
supply
ofcomposition)
various
form and
form of OP
biomass
Over 420
Palm Oil Mills
Economic
life span
of about
25 years
Sustainable
Supply of
OP Biomass
Renewable 5.04
hectar
(Malaysia),
Major constituents of OP biomass: Green
chemical
Lignocellulose:
Cellulose (40-45%)
Hemicellulose (30-40%),
Lignin (15-25%),
Starch/ extractives (5-10%)
Distribution and proportion varies with the origin and nature of pretreatments at
OP mill or refinery
Each and every components of OP biomass are utilisable for value added products
Each components are closely bonded
together by strong chemical bonds
forming a very strong long fibers.
32
Oil palm wastes
Palm biomass (SEM view)

Oil Palm Trunk (OPT)
vascular bundles/
tissues
Current Status: Commercial Utilization
OP Biomass
 Renewable
energy (power generation through
pyrolysis )
 Methane gas generated from microbial
breakdown of EFB: methane trapping
 Fibres reinforced consumer / industrial
items (furniture, automotive components
etc)
 Composting (fertilisers)
OP Biomass as raw materials for
renewable platform green
chemical for food and non food
application
Issues and challenges for optimum utilisation
of OP biomass as a source of platform green
chemical
Sustainable source
of biomass
Availability and
accessibility of
appropriate
technology
Clear policy for
optimum use of OP
biomass
Prospect of OP derived Green Chemical




Bio based chemicals represent the largest potential for
Malaysia and globally
Bio based chemical market share in global chemical
markets are expected to increase from 9- 13% in 2010 to
22-28% in 2025 (USDA : USA biobased products market
potential and projection through 2025)
Lignocellulosic biomass (derived from agriculture wastes)
can supply about 0.6 % of the total chemical market;
equivalent to a global market size of USD 16 billion and is
expected to grow to as much as USD 38-55 billion by 2020
(McKinsey and Co 2011)
Locally Malaysia bio based chemical sale target is
projected to increase from 5 % in 2010 to 20% in 2020
(McKinsey and Co 2011)
Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UNIKL) has
developed a patented technology to
fractionate, isolate and purify platform
green chemical from oil palm biomass
Technology Overview: Sustainable Biorefinary
 Hydrothermal
process to fractionate,
isolate and purify green chemical from
OP biomass (wastes)
 Multiproduct stream
 Zero wastes
 Environmental friendly
 Adaptable for various source of
biomass
 Low cost
Availability of OPF for OP derived Green
Chemical

The oil palm fronds are collected during
pruning (every two weeks) and replanting
activities.

The availability of fronds during the
pruning activity is estimated to be about
10.4 tonnes per hectare per year, which
currently gives an average of 6.97 million
tonnes per year.

Meanwhile, it was estimated at an
average of 54.43 million tonnes per year
of oil palm fronds will be available during
the replanting process in the years of
2007 – 2020.
Steam
explosion
high
pressure
vessel:
Patented
design and
process
Stepwise
Aqeous
Extraction
Vessels
Patented
design
Plant
lay out
Cellulose from OP biomass
Platform green chemical isolated from OP
biomass through hydrothermal process
(UniKL’s developed)
Major components fractionated and isolated from
OP biomass
Cellulose (over 95% yield)
Hemicellulose (over 90% yield)
Lignin (over 98% yield)
Minor components
Starch
Sugar
OP biomass derived platform green chemicals are
comparable to commercially available green
chemicals derived from other source of planted
agriculture.
The compatitive advantage is that the
commercially available green chemicals are
derived from planted agriculture (not from
wastes)
Suitable for food and non food applications
Chemical Products Derivable From
Cellulose
Cellulose derivaties
Regenerated cellulose
Cellulose
Paper
Hydrolysis
Levulinic Acid
Hydroxymenthylfurfural
Acid treatment
Glucose
Hydrogention
Sorbitol
Vitamin C
Fermentation
Polyamides
Polyesters
Polycarbonates
Epoxides
Acetone
Alcohols
Ethanol
Yeast
Butanol
Isopropanol
Glycerol
Acids
Acetic acid Lactic acid
Ethane
Butadiene
Butanediol
Polyethene
Polysterene
Polyvinylchloride
Synthetic rubber
Proteins
Vitamins Fat
Amino acids
Citric acid
Butyric acid
Gluconic acid
Chemical Products Derivable From Polyoses (hemicellulose)
POLYOSES
Xylans
Xylans
Xylans
Mannans
Hydrolysis
Xylans
Ethanol
Xylans
Further
Processing
Xylans
Yeast
Xylans
Xylose
Fermentation
Xylans
Mannose
Mannose
Xylans
Yeast
Further
Processing
Acid
treatment
Xylans
Xylitol
Xylans
Emulsifier
Xylans
Furan
Xylans
Furfuryl
Xylans
Emulsifier
Xylans
Mannitol
Xylans
Furan
carbonic
acid
Xylans
Furan
acrylic
acid
Xylans5
Nylon
Xylans
Acrylates
Xylans
Maleic
acid
Xylans
Tetrahydrofuran
Xylans
Polyurethanes
Xylans
Nylon
6, 6
Xylans
Esters
Xylans
Furan
resin
Xylans
Resins
polymers
Industrial Application of Lignin and its
derivatives

Based on functionality
Biodegradable items

The use of biodegradable materials / products
has become a new trend for green living with less
waste.

The decomposition of biodegradable material
takes place with the help of microorganisms.

Government officials of many countries have
made mandatory usage of biodegradable material
rather than conventional non-degradable
material.
Consumption pattern of
biodegradable products
Technology Transfer: Biodegradable
items derived from OP Biomass
Disposable Hospital Ware
Food Tray
Beverage Carrier
Biodegradable food packaging (containers)
Develop viable indigenous
technology based on
environmental friendly
Comply to National Biomass
Strategy 2020: New wealth
creation for Malaysia’s palm oil
industry
Strategic Trust of OP
Biomass Utilisation
Niche application rather than
materials substitution
OP biomass as co products rather
than waste products
The Way Forward
 Clear
policy on optimum use of OP
wastes
 Promote as an alternative source of
incomes to small holders
 Integrate into existing palm oil
refinary
 Coproducts instead of wastes
Terima kasih
Thank you