New nat’l standard eyed for coconut shell charcoal

The government's coconut agency is drafting new standards for charcoal made from the tropical fruit, a move aimed at modernizing production, improving product quality and supporting the country’s coconut sector.

- By ALDEN MONZON

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) said it is developing the Philippine National Standard (PNS) for coconut shell activated carbon, a material widely used in water filtration, energy and industrial applications.

“This standard serves as reference for industry stakeholders in product development, training, trading among others,” read the foreword of the 10-page draft.

A technical committee was created to oversee the development of the standard, composed of representatives from universities, government agencies and industry groups.