New national standard eyed for coconut shell charcoal

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s coconut agency is drafting new standards for charcoal made from the tropical fruit, a move aimed at modernizing production, improving product quality and supporting the country’s coconut sector.

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) said it is developing the Philippine National Standard (PNS) for coconut shell activated carbon, a material widely used in water filtration, energy and industrial applications.

“This standard serves as reference for industry stakeholders in product development, training, trading among others,” read the foreword of the 10-page draft.

A technical committee was created to oversee the development of the standard, composed of representatives from universities, government agencies and industry groups.

These include the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Bicol University Guinobatan, Visayas State University, Central Luzon State University, Saint Paul University Surigao, Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Plant Industry, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

The roster also includes the Philippine Activated Carbon Manufacturing Association, Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers, Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers, Industrial Technology Development Institute and the Forest Products Research and Development Institute.

The draft standard sets rules for coconut shell charcoal that has been physically processed to make it highly porous, allowing it to filter liquids and gases and recover minerals.

It is intended for industrial and environmental uses and is not meant for direct consumption by humans.

The draft standard also relies on internationally recognized testing methods to ensure product quality.

It sets benchmarks for key characteristics of coconut shell charcoal, such as particle size, density, hardness, moisture and filtration ability, while aligning with local industry practices.

This would make it easier for those that will be locally produced to meet both domestic and global market requirements.

According to market research firm Chemical Research Insight, the global coconut shell activated carbon market was valued at $974.67 million (P57.6 billion if $1 = P59) in 2023 and is projected to reach $1.34 billion (P79.1 billion if $1 = P59) by 2029.