CHAPTER 1

PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

CHARCOAL is becoming more and more a scarce product and is not only contributing to

severe environmental problem like deforestation and soil erosion, but also pauses serious

health hazards like diseases linked with respiratory systems.

The use of trees on making charcoals has been a major factor that contributes to the

climate change in developing countries especially east Africa. Thousands of tons of trees have

been cut and the trend is still going on, despite the efforts made by different governments to

stop people from this long rooted behavior of cutting trees for charcoal making.

INTRODUCTION

Many Filipinos still use charcoal for cooking food, which explains the reason for the high

demand for charcoal. This also contributes to the fast depletion of forests in the country to

accommodate this demand.

The study also pointed out that the demand for wood fuels such as carbon has been

growing. In 2010 the demand is already peaking at 48,400 tons, which could grow to 52,100 in

the next five years. Sadly, the deficit for wood fuel has already reached 42,500 in 2010, which

means the demand is higher than the supply.

The production of alternative wood fuels has been happening in the Philippines for

years. Several divisions of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have been

working on various wood fuel alternatives. The Forest Products Research and Development

Institute (FPRDI) created a method to reuse forest waste for charcoal briquettes.

The FPRDI also developed a charcoal briquette using discarded paper.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Main Problem – What are the alternative processes or materials that can be made into

charcoal?

Sub-Problem - Which process or material is the best alternative to charcoal?

What is the difference between the normal wood charcoal and the alternatives to charcoal?

Is the charcoal alternative more efficient than the normal wood charcoal?

What is the effect of the discovery of charcoal alternatives to the environment?

What is the effect of the discovery of charcoal alternatives to the economy?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Usually, a ton of raw material could produce 250 kilograms of charcoal briquette.

Although the yield is lower than ordinary charcoal, the charcoal briquettes burn much longer at

about one hour, making them better and more cost-effective than charcoal. These alternatives

also cost P15 pesos per kilo, about the same as ordinary charcoal.

According to ASCOT’s study on the environmental impact of using charcoal briquettes,

the production of 79.20 tons can save up to 6,970 trees in a year.

We aim to help other regions stem the demand for wood fuel by producing their own.

Thus, we are also in the process of distributing the charcoal briquettes as well as the technology

they developed to other regions. These should ensure the availability of fuel in different regions

as well as reduction of forest burning to produce charcoal.

 Given the demand for wood fuel, the implementation of a charcoal briquette industry can

create new business opportunities in different regions.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT) in Baler, Aurora Province has

developed a charcoal alternative that uses a mixture of carbonized biomass such as leaves,

twigs, coconut waste, and rice hull.

Essentially, this eco-friendly charcoal briquette uses raw cellulosic (plant matter) waste

to replace the need to burn down trees to produce charcoal. The process of making charcoal

briquettes involve slow burning of the raw materials, grinding, and binding these with cassava

starch. The mixed material is then poured into a molder (usually hollow tubes) and sun-drying

them.
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to ASCOT’s study on the environmental impact of using charcoal briquettes,

the production of 79.20 tons can save up to 6,970 trees in a year.

The study also pointed out that the demand for wood fuels such as carbon has been

growing. In 2010 the demand is already peaking at 48,400 tons, which could grow to 52,100 in

the next five years. Sadly, the deficit for wood fuel has already reached 42,500 in 2010, which

means the demand is higher than the supply. (Villafana, 2010)

The use of trees on making charcoals has been a major factor that contributes to the

climate change in developing countries especially East Africa. Thousands of tones of trees have

been cut and the trend is still going on, despite the efforts made by different governments in the

region to stop people from this long rooted behavior of cutting trees for charcoal making.

Banana is a plant that can save the region from becoming dry if people will be taught

other benefits of banana apart from the one  they know, which is food. If the government

leaders, especially politicians will advocate for the banana plantation, trees will be saved from

being the only source of charcoal.

Banana peels can be used as another source of making charcoal without causing

hazards in the environment. (Mallimbo, 2009)

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) remains to be the top cultivated crop in the Philippines. Out of

the 12 million hectares of farmlands in the country, 3.1 million hectares of it is devoted to

coconut production. With the vast size of farmland devoted to coconut farming, it can be said

that a large percentage of the country’s population still depends on coconut for their living.
 To help the coconut farmers gain extra income while attending to their farm activities, the

group of Engineer Rosella B. Villaruel of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Region X1

came up with a charcoal brick kiln where coconut shells can be turned into quality charcoals.

(Leo, 2008)

A paper on charcoal trade in this region, called “Charcoal in the Mist”, was recently

published by the Institute for Environmental Security, an international NGO based in The

Hague. According to this report, the key thing to do now is to promote alternative, sustainable

energy supply, to provide for the energy needs of the people in this region. 

One idea is to use non-woody biomass fuel briquettes for cooking. These biomass-

briquettes are made from the likes of leaves, grass, coffee husks, sawdust, and scrap paper.

They are pressed into briquettes using simple wooden presses that can be made anywhere with

a minimal amount of tools. Most importantly, no trees have to be cut to make briquettes, which,

similar to charcoal, are used for cooking meals. The Legacy Foundation, that developed and

introduced the biomass fuel briquettes, has worldwide experience with providing training and

improving technologies of biomass-briquette production for sustainable development. (De

Giessen, 2009)