Sukoharjo (08/08/2023) – Administratively, Bulakan Village is included within the Sukoharjo District, Sukoharjo Regency. Bulakan Village comprises 9 smaller villages and is situated on the banks of the Bengawan Solo River. The river’s flow is harnessed as a source of agricultural irrigation, providing livelihoods for many as farmers. Additionally, a significant portion of the population engages in furniture manufacturing, with their handcrafted products being exported abroad.
Nevertheless, furniture production in Bulakan Village faces a pressing issue – the generation of by-products in the form of sawdust waste. Regrettably, this sawdust waste is often carelessly discarded and burned, resulting in harmful environmental consequences and respiratory problems due to the emitted smoke. Addressing these challenges demands a concerted effort to manage the waste more sustainably, one of which involves its conversion into raw material for briquette production. Briquettes, derived from biomass, serve as an alternative energy source, reducing reliance on petroleum and other fossil fuels.
In 2022/2023, Riski Aprianto, a student from KKN Team II at Diponegoro University, undertook training on transforming sawdust waste into briquettes. This training event occurred on July 29, 2023, at the residence of Mr. Santoso, who serves as the Chairman of RW 06. Around 60 residents of Bulakan Village participated in this informative session.
The tools and materials required for producing charcoal briquettes are affordable and easily obtainable. The primary components comprise wood powder waste and tapioca starch, utilized as a binding agent. The process involves burning the sawdust waste to produce charcoal through the carbonation technique. The resulting charcoal is subsequently sieved using a 50 mesh sieve. Simultaneously, a briquette adhesive is created by blending tapioca flour with heated water, stirring until a glue-like consistency is achieved. The charcoal and tapioca adhesive are then combined in a 1:5 ratio. The mixture is shaped into briquettes using a pipe and left to dry under the sun. For this demonstration, a pipe with a diameter of 2 inches and a height of 7 cm was employed.
Outcome of Converting Wood Powder Waste into Briquettes
A member of the Bulakan community, Mr. Danang, expressed appreciation for the informative outreach conducted by KKN students. He emphasized the value of this newfound knowledge, highlighting its potential to effectively harness sawdust waste. “This new awareness holds the promise of proper utilization of existing sawdust waste, contributing to the economic growth of the Bulakan community,” he remarked.
The guidance provided on leveraging sawdust waste as a raw material for briquette production is anticipated to enhance the economic prospects and creative capacities of the Bulakan community. The successful implementation of this program is expected to yield substantial benefits, addressing both economic and environmental concerns stemming from sawdust waste.
Author : Riski Aprianto
DPL : Dr. Dra. Wilis Ari Setyati, M.Si. & Satria Aji Imawan, S.I.P., MPA
———————
Please visit, like, share, follow and subscribe our website and social media
https://kimia.fsm.undip.ac.id
https://www.facebook.com/chemistry.diponegoro
https://www.instagram.com/chemistry.diponegoro
https://twitter.com/chem_diponegoro
