Sustainable Valorization of Banana Pseudo-Stem Waste through Optimized NaOH Pulping: A Chemical Engineering Approach.

The increasing environmental burden of synthetic packaging materials has driven the search for renewable alternatives derived from agricultural residues. In this study, banana pseudo-stem fibre, an abundant lignocellulosic waste from banana cultivation, was utilized to produce biodegradable wrapping paper through alkaline pulping using sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The process involved fibre preparation, pulping, washing, refining, and sheet formation by screen moulding. Key process parameters, including alkali concentration, cooking temperature, and fibre-to-liquor ratio, were optimized to obtain uniform pulp yield suitable for paper formation. The physical and mechanical properties of the prepared sheets, such as grammage, thickness, and tensile strength, were evaluated using standardized methods at an accredited textile testing laboratory. The banana fibre-based wrapping paper exhibited satisfactory strength and surface quality comparable to commercial recycled wrapping papers. The alkaline pulping route demonstrated acceptable fibre bonding and moderate chemical consumption, indicating technical feasibility for small-scale decentralized production. Preliminary sustainability analysis suggests that utilizing banana pseudo-stem waste for paper making could significantly reduce raw-material dependency on wood fibres and divert agricultural residues from disposal. The results confirm that banana fibre represents a viable and eco-friendly raw material for producing biodegradable wrapping paper, supporting the transition toward sustainable packaging solutions