Utilization of Pineapple Crowns (Wastes) for Sustainable Paper Production: Climate Change Mitigation and Wastes to Wealth Approach

The paper industry currently depends on forest trees as fibre sources for paper production, contributing to deforestation which destroys ecosystems that are vital to wildlife and humans alike. Deforestation represents a growing threat to all lives on earth, driving dangerous carbon emissions and exacerbating the climate crisis. Like the oceans, forests absorb excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, serving as a much-needed buffer against irreversible climate change. In a bid to address deforestation caused by the paper industry, this study investigated the potentials and suitability of pineapple crowns (wastes) as fibre sources for sustainable paper production. The pineapple crowns were de-fiberized and fibre dimensions were examined. Fibre length, fibre diameter, lumen width and cell wall thickness were found to be 2.54 mm, 35.19 µm, 36.67 µm and 5.75 µm respectively. Pulping was done through soda pulping method, papers were produced with the resulting pulps, the papers exhibited different tensile strength values ranging from 188.667 N/m2 to 248.667 N/m2, elongation @ break and force @ Peak(N) of papers were found to have different values. The chemical components, fibre dimensions, and tensile properties exhibited, all show that pineapple crowns have great potentials for paper production.