Feasibility Studies of Palm Oil Mill Waste Aggregates for the Construction Industry.

Jegathish Kanadasan,Vijaya Subramaniam,Auni Fauzi,Hashim Razak,Paramananthan Selliah,Sumiani Yusoff

doi:10.3390/ma8095319

Jegathish Kanadasan, Vijaya Subramaniam + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma8095319

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Abstract

The agricultural industry in Malaysia has grown rapidly over the years. Palm oil clinker (POC) is a byproduct obtained from the palm oil industry. Its lightweight properties allows for its utilization as an aggregate, while in powder form as a filler material in concrete. POC specimens obtained throughout each state in Malaysia were investigated to evaluate the physical, chemical, and microstructure characteristics. Variations between each state were determined and their possible contributory factors were assessed. POC were incorporated as a replacement material for aggregates and their engineering characteristics were ascertained. Almost 7% of density was reduced with the introduction of POC as aggregates. A sustainability assessment was made through greenhouse gas emission (GHG) and cost factor analyses to determine the contribution of the addition of POC to the construction industry. Addition of POC helps to lower the GHG emission by 9.6% compared to control specimens. By channeling this waste into the construction industry, an efficient waste-management system can be promoted; thus, creating a cleaner environment. This study is also expected to offer some guides and directions for upcoming research works on the incorporation of POC.

Highlights

The agroindustry in Malaysia has been the backbone of the country for a few decades, products from this industry generate a huge amount of waste that requires suitable disposal
A palm oil mill was randomly chosen in each state in Malaysia to represent the Palm oil clinker (POC) samples of that particular state
The POC samples were collected from 12 locations in Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak

Summary

Introduction

The agroindustry in Malaysia has been the backbone of the country for a few decades, products from this industry generate a huge amount of waste that requires suitable disposal. Palm oil factories generate various types of waste, which include, oil palm fiber, oil palm shell (OPS), palm oil mill effluent (POME) and empty fruit bunches (EFB) Improper management of these wastes could lead to environmental pollution. Introducing the 3R (Recycle, Reuse, Reduce) concept could help to save the environment from pollution besides supporting the sustainability of certain industries Incorporation of these waste products would help to sustain those natural resources that are rapidly depleting and support the global push towards “green” production. The utilization of waste byproducts can help to improve the waste management to reduce environmental pollution Channeling these waste products to other industries to be used would be a creative and resourceful method to increase the productivity of the respective industries. The burning process of OPS and oil palm fiber produces palm oil clinker (POC), which is obtained in large chunks ranging between 100 and 400 mm before being crushed into aggregates with the required sizes

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