Students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), State University of Yogyakarta (UNY) have won an award at the AMLI 2024 Student Creativity Week (PKM). PKM AMLI 2024 was organised by the Indonesian Association of Mathematics and Sciences LPTK (AMLI) with the host Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, State University of Malang as a platform for students to show their creativity in designing sustainable solutions that are relevant to problems in the environment and challenges of the times. The team was led by Dian Narmada Asri (Chemistry Education) and a number of members: Muhamad Rizky Hadiningrat (Physics), Faizun A'raffatah Mafazan (Physics), Nur Azmi Zahra Fitriani (Chemistry), and Afifah Nur Miftakhul Janah (Biology) were awarded 1st runner-up in the eksakta research category.  The team brought up the theme of research on the processing of bagasse and coffee waste with the title ‘Characterisation of Eco-balls Based on Sugarcane Bagasse and Coffee Dregs as Packaging Protector to Replace Bubble Wrap’.

Eco-Balls are an innovative product to replace bubble wrap made from sugarcane and coffee bagasse. The product was designed in an effort to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 12.5 which is to substantially reduce waste generation by 2030, especially plastic waste that endangers the environment. Eco-balls research began with the preparation of tools and materials, the manufacture of Eco-balls and product characterisation tests. Five Eco-balls formulas were prepared, each formula having different variations in the concentration of sugarcane and coffee bagasse. The test results revealed that formula (F4) with a coffee and sugarcane bagasse composition ratio of 7:3 was the best formulation of Eco-Balls. F4 had the best organoleptic properties, the smallest absorption (0%), and the best degradation condition. However, statistical tests using the Kruskall-Wallis nonparametric test showed insignificant results. Further studies and research are needed to further realise the potential of sugarcane and coffee bagasse as high quality packaging products to replace bubble wrap.

As the supervisor, Mrs Dra. Regina Tutik Padmaningrum, M.Si. (Mrs Tutik) explains that this research aims to determine the most optimum formulation of Eco-Balls as a protective packaging. “In the future, Eco-Balls products will be utilized as an environmentally friendly protective packaging material”. Dr. Dra. Retno Arianingrum, M.Si. as the head of the Department of Chemical Education gave a positive feedback  “We (Department of Chemistry Education) would like to congratulate the PKM AMLI FMIPA UNY team for their achievements, we hope that this will encourage other students to make their own milestones”.