CAIRO: The remains of the banana trees are perhaps one of the commonest and cheapest leftovers of plantations, but they continue to be the least exploited despite their abundance worldwide, according to a research conducted by the Textiles Department at the National Research Center in Cairo. The research that was carried out using periodicals published by the Technological Research Center in Malaysia, draws attention to the fact that all over the world the banana tree leftovers are an environmental risk unless they are properly sorted out and utilized in basic industries like paper, furniture, textiles and building materials. The research found that 40 kg of bananas make 250 kg of waste. These leftovers could be used instead of being left to trigger a bevy of environmental hazards and fires. One billion tons of banana stems are left to rot and decompose, according to NRC statistics. Had they been used in the paper industry, they would supply half the world production of paper instead of depending on wood, which leads to deforestation with all its environmental hazards. The research underlined that banana-producing countries could export banana plantation waste to different countries to be used in various industries. This would be a win-win situation. Since the banana stems bear fruit only once, there is no use for them afterwards. But Australia and other banana-producing countries in Asia have developed technologies to acquire fibers from banana stems. Those fibers are solid, straight and tall and are bound together with a sticky substance known as 'laganin'. They make up four percent of the stem's weight and can be easily be dyed in bright colors and used in unconventional textiles and paper industries. Banana stems are an alternative to wood in the paper industry and can measure up to two meters long. Once cut, they are left for three days to secrete their peculiar natural substance. They are then gathered, sliced into layers which are piled one upon the other and made to stick together with the help laganin. The more layers are accumulated, the more solid, thick and better they are for final use to manufacture cartons, furniture and other objects. This is an environmentally-friendly technology because it doesn't require large amounts of water. The sticky substance is also a natural product that does not have the adverse effects of its chemical counterparts. The bigger and taller the banana tree, the better the quality of its fibers, claimed the research. Worldwide, however, banana stems have been mostly used in the paper industry, for experience has proven that paper made from banana fibers is 300 times more durable than that made of wood. It is both water and fire resistant, unlike traditional paper which burns once exposed to fire and disintegrates if it is submerged in water. Because it does not burn, it is used in manufacturing building materials, packing paper, paper bags and lampshades.
