DOST approves ASEMCO charcoal project

The Department of Science and Technology has finally approved the establishment of a charcoal briquette production center in Almeria, Biliran to be operated by the Almeria Seafarers Multi-purpose Cooperative (ASEMCO).

The project, which also aims to reduce the bulk of organic waste and convert them into fuel materials in a form of charcoal, will provide ASEMCO some support funds for the acquisition of necessary equipment for charcoal briquette production.

The realization of the project came amid the growing concerns of the local government units in addressing solid waste problems. ASEMCO as a strong cooperative in the municipality of Almeria searched for means to help but at the same time benefit its members. The idea on utilizing the abandoned bio-mass waste for charcoal briquetting came after knowing that such technology is available with the DOST and the DENR. The concept has a twofold benefit and therefore suits the need of the cooperative.

Almeria, a partially urban 5th class municipality in Biliran Province has approximately 700 households within the Poblacion and nearby barangays (per NSO, 2000 census) that contribute to the bulk of the municipal waste. If these households produce an estimated average biomass waste of 1kg per household per day (practical estimates only since no actual data is available) such bulk could be the input to the charcoal plant with a capacity of 700 kg per day. LGU will then be more focused in addressing the other non-biodegradable wastes.

ASEMCO will put up the infrastructure while DOST 8 through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) assist in acquiring the technology from DOST-FPRDI and DENR ERDB both in Los Banos, Laguna.

Photo: ASEMCO officials during their plant visit in one charcoal briquetting project in Cavite