INNOVATIVE CONVERSION OF PAPER WASTES INTO ECO-FRIENDLY CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES AS A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCE AND SOLUTION FOR SCHOOL-BASED WASTE MANAGEMENT

Environmental waste accumulation and dependence on nonrenewable fuels remain major challenges, especially in areas with limited access to sustainable energy sources. This study aimed to develop and evaluate eco-friendly charcoal briquettes made from paper waste materials—specifically office paper, cardboard, and newspaper—as alternative fuel sources. The objective was to identify which paper type produces briquettes with the greatest strength, longest burn duration, and lowest smoke emission. Paper wastes were shredded, soaked, molded, sun-dried, and tested for compressive strength, burn duration, and pore structure using Image-Pro 10 analysis. Results showed that cardboard briquettes had the highest compressive strength (3.13 MPa), longest burn duration (27 min), and lowest porosity (9.8%), while newspaper briquettes performed the weakest. Statistical tests (ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD) confirmed significant differences among treatments (p < 0.001). Cost analysis revealed a production cost of only ₱10 per kg—about 75% cheaper than commercial charcoal. The findings suggest that cardboard waste is the most efficient material for producing durable, low-cost, and eco-friendly paper charcoal briquettes, promoting waste reduction and sustainable energy use.