Implementation of Circular Economy Model in White Copra Production

Abstract

This study applied the principle of zero waste in the processing of coconut fruit into white copra as the main product. Simultaneously, other fruit components, such as shells, fibers, and coconut water are also processed into products that play a role in supporting the main product directly or indirectly. The processed products were: liquid smoke, charcoal briquettes, and tar. The zero waste of copra production through the following stages: (i) coconut meat was processed into white copra, while the shell and fiber were pyrolyzed into liquid smoke, charcoal, and tar; (ii) liquid smoke was used as a preservative for copra; (iii) charcoal was formed into charcoal briquettes, which could be used for pyrolysis heating; and (iv) the tar produced was used as a wood preservative. The results of this study indicate that one coconut weighs an average of 1,751 g, consisting of flesh, shell, fiber and fruit water weighing 489 g, 232 g, 706 g and 324 g, respectively. The pyrolysis yielded for every 20 kg of coconut shell produced liquid smoke, charcoal and tar of 7867.81 g, 6168 g and 495.4 g, respectively. At the white copra production stage, the treatment of 12.5% ​​liquid smoke concentration was able to suppress fungal infections, the highest oil yield, and copra brightness. The coconut shell charcoal briquettes produced had water content, volatile matter, ash, fixed carbon, specific gravity, hardness, and calorific value of 7.79%, 13.75%, 2.76%, 68.66%, 0.92 g/cm³, and 64.22 kg/cm², 6.521 cal/g, respectively.