CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

INTRODUCTION

Plastic bags are cheap, affordable , and are often used as shopping bags,

packaging, and sacks making them extremely useful in a person's day-to-day

life, they can also be kept and reused for future purposes. No matter how

useful plastic bags may be, they are still harmful to the environment due to

the multiple problems they bring including dangerous chemicals and pollution.

Paper bags may be a better solution but the process it takes to manufacture

these also involve the use of deadly chemicals being released into the

atmosphere, the reusable paper bag made from coconut husks is an affordable

and cost-effective way to make life easier, at the same time, contribute to the

improvement of the environment's condition.

Coconuts are primarily used for their pulp and milk, but they have also

been known for their extreme usefulness and significant economic value, the

contributions of coconuts to construction-making and the furniture industry are

also not ignored going as far as being called "the tree of a thousand uses" in

Malay. However useful coconuts may be , the harm they bring to the environment

must certainly not be overlooked, if large amounts of husks are left in a landfill,

a long-term problem is caused due to the time it takes for coconuts to decom-

pose. Retting is another concern brought about by coconuts due to oxygen dep-

letion and remarkably high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide, thus causing

to society is its contribution in turning materials that can soon be a threat to

something productive and useful that can benefit not only the consumer, but also

the environment. It uses wastes and prevents them from further harming the

natural world by making them into something that can be sustainable and further

used. It also helps in businesses and financial purposes as well as enhancing

one's own productivity and skills.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

It is essential to dispose our garbage properly and as much as possible,

recycle these wastes to prevent them from going to landfills. Waste disposal

management still remains a rampant issue amongst nations. Manufacturing or

industrial wastes are one of the leading contributors to this problem. According

to Awuchi (2017), Industrial waste is the waste produced by industrial activity

which includes any material that is rendered useless during a manufacturing

process such as that of factories, industries , mills , and mining operations. It has

existed since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Some examples of industrial

wastes are chemical solvents, paints, sandpaper, paper products, industrial by-

products, metals, and radioactive wastes. Waste generation is linked directly to

the size of population and the various activities undertaken by different categories

of the population includinglarge scale industries, small-scale industries,

trading/businesses, municipal, farming, household, schools, among others. Hence,

it clearly means that waste generation will increase with increasing population growth.

Food waste is a recurring problem and is a primary cause of the pollution of the

environment globally. According to Vido (2017), food waste is a national problem, with
a third of the environment food produced for human consumption failing to reach

anyone's stomach. GCC states produce tremendous amounts of food wastage,

especially in proportion to the size and population of these countries. Furthermore,

Adema (2016) stated that In 2012, 1.4 million tonnes of food was consumed and

wasted in Qatar, with an extra14 percent, which is about 20 million kilograms, thrown

away before it even reached the end-consumer. Additionally, Topaloglu (2015)

mentioned that given that the staggering majority-more than 90 percent—of Qatar's

food is imported.The objective of this research topic is to help people lessen the use

of plastic bags. It is sustainable at the same time, environment friendly, because it

uses materials that are friendly to the environment, the study aims to open new

discussions about societal and environmental issues concerning the materials used in

the study, and to make a better and more eco-friendly substitute to plastic bags that

are harmful to the environment.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

This part presents the related literature and studies reviewed by the researchers that

have significant bearing with the present study. It is composed of related literature

found in books, joumals, and other publications not to mention the very important

contributions of the information found on the Internet. It also discusses the related

studies from different academic researches. The related studies show experts' ideas,

information, and reports about the topic specifically of what is already known in the

field of paper bags and what is still need to be done for this research undertaking.
Based on the study of Tripathi (2014), one major disposal issue that environmental

proponents fight about in regards to plastic bags is the way recycling plants handle

them. While recycling has been welcomed by many as a safe way of getting rid of

plastics that have outlived their use, it hassince been discovered that they are

incinerated thereby releasing harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

Eco-friendly paper bags. According to Al Naimi (2018), one-time using plastic bags

should be replaced with paper bags which could be used many times, bags made of

other stronger materials rather than plastic could be used for longer and plastic waste

takes years to discompose posing threats to the environment and human being

Furthermore, Kimmel (2014) mentioned that the main sources of recycled materials

used in the manufacture of Paper bags are not recycled bags, but other sources of

paper and ethylene polymers. Paper bags can be recycled through municipal curbside

collection and get mixed with other sources of recycled Kraft paper, especially

corrugated boxes.

Coconut Husks. Based on the study of Ganiron (2013), disposal of agricultural waste

materials such as coconut shell have constituted an environmental challenge, hence

the need to convert them into useful materials to minimize their negative effect on

the environment.

Doug Lober (2018) is Co-Founder and Chief Product Specialist for Reuse

ThisBagcom. Lober is a passionate environmentalist with roots in the Southern

California surf culture. Over the last 15 years, Lober has launched and supported a
number of environmental initiatives around the land, sea, and air. Today, he

continues to provide and support the use of eco-friendly promotional products for

small, medium, and Fortune 500 companies

The extensive backwaters of Kerala are the sites for a flourishing cottage industry ‐

the coir industry. This enterprise almost exclusively located along the 590 km coastal

belt of Kerala, Nandan (2007) provides direct employment to over half a million

people in the state and produces nearly 90% of the total coir goods in the world. The

shallow bays and lagoons of the 30 backwater systems of the state are traditional

areas for the retting of coconut husk for the production of the coir fibre.

According to Munib (2021), the utilization of coconut husk is mainly limited to its

disposal as waste and fuel. The combustion process produces smoke and pollution,

increasing air pollution and the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

Continuous exposure to oxygen reactions during combustion leads to higher

pollution levels, potentially resulting in climate change.

Babalola and Olorunnisola's (2019) study aims to determine the potential utilization

of coconut husk fiber in enhancing the characteristics of cassava starch-based bio

plastics. Brown fibers have a notable thickness and strength and have higher

abrasion resistance. At the same time, white fibers have the characteristics of a

smoother texture and finer composition but display a relatively disadvantaged tensile

strength. The brown coconut husk fibers, which are the focus of this investigation,

have numerous inherent benefits. This material exhibited a higher water absorption
capacity, rendering it unsuitable for applications involving the transportation of

aqueous fluids. However, according to Panes et al. (2021), coir bags have

the potential to replace paper bags as a practical option due to their excellent

durability in comparison to the current paper bags, which are prone to tearing.

In the study published by Anggaan et al. (2021), an assessment was carried out to

develop an Eco bag using fibers derived from Mauritius Hemp (Fureraea foetida L.).

This study aims to determine the efficacy of utilizing plant fibers in the manufacturing

of Eco-bags, evaluate the durability of the resulting product compared to existing

Eco-bags, and develop preventive methods for enhancing the quality of the product.

In addition, Nieves (2017) stated that coconut is famous as multifunction plant that all

parts of its plant can be used for various activities. The use of this agricultural waste

due to an assumption is that it can replace the existing material used in commercial

product in order to reduce cost or improve mechanical proper-ties of the composite

material.

Lastly, Husin (2016), mentioned that Coconut coir contains cellulose fiber which is high

enough and it can be used as pulp manufacturing. It can also be used in the

manufacture of composite materials consisting of acombination of coir fiber paper pulp

and pulp formation of HVS. Furthermore, fiber pulp fibers having the highest levels of

alpha cellulose, mixed with pulp from waste paper is used as raw materialin the

manufacture of composite paper. This forms a composite paper features such as

strong pull, the abilityto absorb ink, writing ability and endurance has been tested.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study investigates the use of Coconut (Cocos Nucifera)

Husks in making eco-friendly paper bags. It seeks to answer the following questions,

specifically:

1. Is the paper bag out of coconut husks effective in terms of:

o 1.1. tensile strength; and

o 1.2. sheer strength?

2. Is the paper bag out of coconut husks better than the paper bags available in the

market in terms of:

o 2.1. tensile strength; and

o 2.2. sheer strength?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The results, recommendations, and implications of this study may help different

sectors along with significant contributions to the following:

1. PSD community

This study will help PSDians in terms of lessening the production of waste

made by the community everyday. This study can also help in raising

awareness about the current events and inform the PSD community about

certain issues.

2. Qatar community

This study will benefit the Qatar community by giving it a much better

environment to live. In addition, it can also help in reducing the wastes being

produced by Qatar. By means of having an eco-friendly paper bag in

society.

3. Philippine community

This study will help the Philippine community by diminishing the garbage

waste in an economy that abuses the use of products that are detrimental to

the environment so that the bodies of water and land would not be clogged by

overflowing rubbishes. It can also warn the Philippines about the seriousness

of these threats.

4. Future Researchers

This study will benefit the future researchers for this study could propose new

ideas if ever the future researchers would choose to continue this study. This

study can serve as their basis for making their study. It can also add more

knowledge and information to the future researchers and furthermore improve

their study.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

This aim of this study is to determine the components of coconut husks in order

to find out the feasibility of making eco-friendly paper bags- the methods and

strategies involved- effects of conducting this study- problems and proposed

solutions to the problems. The study will require coconut husks, specifically

matured brown coconuts from India, and paper chunks which are made from

used papers that are crushed and boiled, which will be made and bought.The

materials needed to make the paper bag will be bought at the supermarkets
and hardware stores located in Doha, Qatar.This study is an experimental

research. The results of this study will determine whether paper bag made from

coconut husks is betterthan a regular paper bag. Its objective is to help

conserve the environment by producing a functional paper bag that reduces the

space a waste material takes up by making it into something that is useful. The

study will be conducted at the State of Doha, Qatar, during