Reflecting on Our First Week: Reassessing Assumptions and Charting New Directions

After completing our first week of fieldwork in Manila, we took some time to reflect on the lessons we've learned, assess remaining questions, and make decisions to guide our future direction. We organized our questions and evaluated the information gathered to optimize our final week in the city.

From the outset of our trip, our primary focus has been on understanding agricultural waste, the current packaging market, and eco-friendly packaging manufacturing processes. However, much of what we thought we knew has been challenged, leading us to reevaluate our primary assumptions. Initially, we centered our attention on corn and its waste, assuming that coconut, pineapple, and rice waste were being efficiently utilized due to ongoing research on these crops. However, upon arriving here, we discovered that while there is significant research, there is limited action taken to capitalize on these waste streams. This realization opens up the opportunity for us to consider other agricultural crops as potential inputs.

Another key assumption we made was that farmers would readily sell their agricultural waste. Yet, after conducting interviews with several farmers at markets, we found that they are not as willing to part with their waste as we initially thought. The farmers we spoke with already had uses for most of their waste, thus making them unwilling to sell it. Furthermore, conversations with companies that repurpose agricultural waste led us to reevaluate our waste acquisition method.

Prior to fieldwork, our plan focused on sourcing by-products of corn farming directly from farms. However, after meeting with companies already working on biodegradable products, we realized that integrating ourselves within existing major companies' infrastructure would be more viable. This understanding shifted our focus from sourcing materials directly from farmers to collaborating with milling companies and farming co-ops that already receive raw materials from a broader network of farms. By leveraging the established relationships these organizations have with farmers, we can streamline our process, reduce the required infrastructure, and increase the volume of waste we can collect, thus producing a larger quantity of our product.

Our original idea was to produce a cardboard-like material for takeout boxes. However, we have decided to pivot our approach based on what we've learned about Oikos' techniques and the research completed during our time in Manila. Our new goal is to develop a bioplastic pellet from raw agricultural waste, which will serve as the starting material for plastic alternatives. Companies can then purchase these pellets and convert them into various products, such as plastic bags. This strategy allows us to leverage their existing customer base and ensure project success, regardless of the team involved. Implementing these process changes will eliminate potential complications and significantly reduce our venture’s overhead costs.

Although our fieldwork has deepened our knowledge, it has also uncovered new questions we hadn't considered before. Primarily, we plan to meet with millers and industrial-sized farms to determine if they are both viable waste sources and willing to provide or sell waste to us. Additionally, we are interested in understanding waste management practices in these farms and mills to pinpoint the most significant waste stream. We hope to find answers to our sourcing questions to aid in our lab work developing a pellet. As we continue designing a lab procedure for pellet manufacturing, visiting packaging facilities in Manila will provide insights into their machinery, processes, and budget for creating the material.

With our first week completed, we acknowledge the learning done and challenges faced, ready for the coming days of hardship and success.

Photo of the team exploring Metro Manila: Cayla B., Matt O., Sophia M., Max B., Estefania R. (left to right)