Basty: Bagasse and Banana Weevil Styrofoam

Indonesia is the largest agricultural country in the world. Indonesia has a variety of agricultural and plantation products. Sugarcane plantations and banana plantations are some examples of plantations in Indonesia. Sugarcane plantations and banana plantations produce a lot of waste that is not used optimally. Bagasse has a strong fiber and cellulose content. Banana hump contains starch. The combination of the two plantation wastes can be used as a substitute for styrofoam. The Styrofoam used in food packaging can be harmful to health and the environment due to the presence of chemicals. Therefore, it is necessary to replace Styrofoam in the form of biofoam. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of Basty biofoam as an innovative substitute for Styrofoam that is safe for health and the environment, as a form of effort to utilize waste from sugarcane plantations and banana plantations. This type of research is descriptive research with a qualitative approach. The research focus is on making Basty, an innovative substitute for Styrofoam that is safe for health and the environment. The method of collection is through observation. The tests carried out were the water absorption test (porosity), the density test, and the biodegradability test. The data obtained in this study were analyzed using descriptive methods. The results of the biofoam characteristic test resulted in a water absorption capacity of 23.53%, a density of 0.04 gr/cm3, and biodegradability of 29.41%. Based on the results of this study, researchers identified Basty as an innovation to replace styrofoam which is safe for health and the environment. As a form of effort to utilize bagasse waste and banana hump waste.