Augustine Yeoj D. Leones^1,, Ethel R. Caontao¹, Jesha Mae Paula L. Macarayo¹, Regine Mae M. Sebandal¹, Ian Jay P. Saldo¹, Mary Jade Peñafiel-Dandoy¹, Jhovel Roy D. Calo¹

Agricultural waste poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges resulting from the production and processing of various agricultural commodities. The accumulation of agricultural waste has adverse effects on the environment, including soil and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. Additionally, it leads to economic losses and health risks, necessitating attention from policymakers, researchers, and farmers. This study addressed these concerns by exploring the feasibility of converting vegetable waste into charcoal briquettes. The research objectives are twofold: (1) to determine the levels of moisture content, volatile matter, and ash content in vegetable waste charcoal briquettes, and (2) to compare these levels with those of commercial charcoal briquettes. The study was conducted at the Malaybalay City Public Market, known for its diverse selection of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. The collected vegetable waste was securely transported in trash bags/sacks for carbonization. Subsequently, the carbonized vegetable waste briquettes were assessed based on moisture content, volatile matter, and ash content levels. Based on the results, briquettes made from vegetable waste and cassava starch are a promising and sustainable alternative to traditional charcoal briquettes, offering advantages such as increased combustion efficiency, reduced emissions, and prolonged burning duration. Moreover, the t-test results revealed that there is a significant difference in ash content and volatile matter levels of vegetable waste and commercial briquettes. This means that vegetable waste briquettes have the potential for more effective burning than commercial briquettes. However, the t-test revealed that the level of moisture content of the vegetable waste and commercial briquettes are not significantly different from one another. This means that the moisture content of commercial briquettes and briquettes made from vegetable waste is not significantly different from each other. Therefore, briquettes produced from vegetable waste are a promising alternative to traditional charcoal briquettes. Lastly, it is recommended to examine the impact of various binders on the properties of vegetable briquettes, as well as the potential utilization of different types of agricultural waste as feedstock for briquette production.

agricultural waste, ash content, charcoal briquettes, moisture content, vegetable wastes, volatile matter