UNS – A team from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) was named as a runner-up at the National Research Competition on Oil Palm for College Students, Tuesday-Thursday (13-15/12/2016). Taking place at IPB (Bogor Agriculture University) International Convention Centre, the research competition was held by the Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDP-KS) as a featuring event of Indonesia Oil Palm Research Week. With a research on the utilization of waste cluster of oil palm for a reduction in industrial waste dyestuff, a team from UNS consisting of Marta Nauqinida, Kurnia, and Septi Pujiasih successfully defeated 360 other participants.
The research on the utilization of waste cluster of oil palm was developed due to a local issue in Solo. According to Marta, the treatment given to industrial waste dyestuff was dumping it in the environment. It absolutely gave rise to a new problem. “There was a report saying that carelessly dumped waste dyestuff contaminated rivers. Corresponding to the topic of research on oil palm, we processed oil palm waste that is rarely used to turn it into a snare for industrial waste dyestuff,” Marta said, Friday (23/12/2016).
UNS sent four teams for the National Research Competition on Oil Palm for College Students. Three teams were from Chemistry Department of Mathematics and Natural Science Faculty (FMIPA) of UNS. The other was from Chemistry Education Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty (FKIP) of UNS.
Oil Palm Research Week of the Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDP-KS)
Indonesia Oil Palm Research Week has a role for uniting researchers and industrial officers for oil palm. It featured various events: seminar and exhibition of results of the research on GRS K15, National Research Competition on Oil Palm for College Students 2016, and oil palm workshops. As the Oil Palm Week was held, the government, industries, research institutions or universities and all stakeholders can collaborate in realizing environment-friendly and sustainable oil palm industry in Indonesia in order to attain SDGs.