Notice of Retraction: Sago kraft paper: A potential solution to sago industry pollution

Abstract

Sarawak has a long tradition in the industry of processing flour from the sago palm, Metroxylon sagu Rottboll and is the main exporting State in Malaysia in this commodity. Therefore, the industry has abundant sago waste such as the bark and fiber of extracted sago flour in which the locals use the barks of the trunk as timber fuel, wall materials, ceiling and fence. Fiber of extracted sago flour has also been used as animal feed. However, most are otherwise disposed into the river as waste and become a pollutant. The sago bark and fibers waste materials have been experimentally processed into eco-friendly kraft paper of various textures using a technology of a simple chemically-free kraft paper process. The kraft paper was developed into various types. The cardboard type was found to be suitable for making gift boxes of various designs with uniform consistency and rigidity. Similarly, the paper was found to be suitable for making envelopes, note book cover and souvenir paperbags with good quality. The quality of the bleached sago kraft paper fulfilled the attributes as a media for watercolour painting in terms of its furnish, colour, weight, finish, sizing and dimensions and permanence using watercolour concluded as being able to provide a stable surface media for art and craft works. The demonstration that utilities of sago by-product waste can be converted into kraft paper with good qualities has commercial potential. Thus the the sago waste will not be disposed into the river, thereby reduce the environmental pollution.