Millions of tons of plastic waste and empty fruit bunches (EFB) from palm oil plantations accumulate each year without optimal utilization. Lecturers and researchers from the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), are addressing both issues simultaneously through the development of Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) — a composite material that combines polyethylene (PE) plastic with oil palm empty fruit bunch fibers. The result is a material that looks and feels like wood, but is more durable, weather-resistant, and easier to shape. WPC can be applied in decking, fencing, outdoor furniture, wall panels, and interior components, making it an alternative to conventional wood that is resistant to decay, termite attacks, and requires minimal maintenance.
The development of WPC has not been without challenges. In addition to the process of refining empty fruit bunches into powder with suitable particle sizes, the main obstacle lies in the compatibility issue between biomass and plastic. Both materials possess different surface characteristics, making them difficult to bond optimally. The research team had to develop a specialized formulation to ensure that the combination of these materials could achieve mechanical, thermal, and durability properties comparable to or even better than conventional wood.
“Used plastic and palm oil plantation waste, which have long been environmental burdens, can now be transformed into wood-substitute materials that are even more durable. This is not just about recycling, but about creating a new value chain from two waste sectors at once,” said Adam Febriyanto Nugraha, a lecturer at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering FTUI and researcher at the Green Polymer Technology Laboratory (GPTech).
The Dean of FTUI, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed his support for the innovation. “This innovation demonstrates that research at FTUI truly addresses real challenges faced by society. We hope that Wood Plastic Composite can soon be developed on an industrial scale so that its benefits can be felt more broadly, both environmentally and economically.”
This research is supported by the Indonesian Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) with the involvement of the Center for Sustainability and Waste Management UI (CSWM UI), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute (PPKS), and PT Polymindo Permata (Viro). With the composite materials market continuing to grow and increasing regulatory pressure regarding the use of natural wood and plastic waste management, palm oil waste–based WPC has strong commercialization potential, both for domestic and export markets.
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Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia
