By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – Can you imagine how many feathers are accumulated when chickens you eventually feast on are slaughtered?
While watching the slaughter of chickens, Filipino scientist Menandro Acda was likely thinking of this when he realized the potential use of chicken feathers that are often considered waste in the poultry industry.
Chicken feathers are often incinerated. But the burning can cause environmental problems, according to Acda
“Millions of kilos of waste feathers are generated each year by commercial poultry processing plants resulting in serious solid waste problem,” added Acda who is a professor from the University of the Philippines Los Banos.
Faced with the abovementioned environmental problem, Acda began his study, dubbed “Recycling chicken waste feathers for low-cost building material,” in 2007. He experimented on mixing cement with eight to ten sacks of waste feathers, which he collected from a food company, and consolidated them using a hydraulic press to create 10” x 10” panel boards.
Designed for non-structural application, the panel board can be used for insulation in low-cost housing and warehouses, Acda said.
The composite panel boards (feather fiber and cement) are decay-resistant, unlike commercial panel boards (wood fiber and cement) that are often susceptible to termites. He explained that the feather contains keratin, which the termites cannot digest.
Acda said his study is currently looking into “optimizing” and increasing the strength of the composite panel board.
Acda’s study, which is geared towards helping the poultry industry and the construction industry by reducing wastes and creating new material, earned him a financial grant from Ford’s Ecogrants Program last year.
“Our participation does not end at financial support. We actively involve ourselves in ensuring the success of these worthy projects,” said Ford Group Philippines president Rick Baker.
Here is my video interview with Dr. Acda.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:49 pm
mabuhay po!
staffer po ako ng aming school paper!
ahhmm..>
gusto ko lang po malaman kung paano ko po makakusap c mr.menandro acda?
salamat po
August 10th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Duh those details are confidential and subject to IPR rules. Theda, go proceed with your won experiment.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Another great discovery by my great fellowmen!
August 6th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
hi readers! thank you for reading this blog
@ Theda- Prof.Acda used different ratios of cement and chicken feathers (60/40, 80/20. 70/30) vice-versa.
@Gerry-What company are you referring to? The food company? Prof. Acda works in the University of the Philippines Los Banos.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Can I know what’s the ratio and proprotion of cement to the chicken feathers? I had an experiment before back in college wherein we used junkfoods bags.