Mainstreaming Engineered Bamboo

MAINSTREAMING ENGINEERED-BAMBOO PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FURNITURE

MAINSTREAMING ENGINEERED-BAMBOO PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FURNITURE

Ramon A. Razal Priscila C. Dolom Aresna B. Palacpac Ma. Magdalena B. Villanueva Sofronio C. Camacho Marina B. Alipon Rosario B. Bantayan Stanley C. Malab

2012

College of Forestry and Natural Resources UPLB, College, Laguna

Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research And Development Los Baños, Laguna ii

MAINSTREAMING ENGINEERED-BAMBOO PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FURNITURE RAMON A. RAZAL1 PRISCILA C. DOLOM2 ARESNA B. PALACPAC2 MA. MAGDALENA B. VILLANUEVA2 SOFRONIO C. CAMACHO2 MARINA A. ALIPON3 ROSARIO B. BANTAYAN1 STANLEY C. MALAB4 1Department

of Forest Products and Paper Science College of Forestry and Natural Resources University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna 2FORESTRY

DEVELOPMENT CENTER College of Forestry and Natural Resources University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna 3Forest

Products Research and Development Institute College, Laguna 4Mariano

Marcos State University Batac City, Ilocos Norte Published by PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURE, AQUATIC, AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT CENTER UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources

College, Laguna, Philippines iii

ISBN

978-971-579-061-1

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from the publishers.

Cover Design and Layout

:

Rosario B. Bantayan Enalyn P. Martinez Aresna B. Palacpac

Trade names of chemicals mentioned in the book are for discussion purposes only. There is no intention to endorse the product.

Printed by Rapid Printing Press

iv

Foreword As a tropical country, the Philippines is home to many bamboo species that have found their way into the day-to-day living as well as the culture and traditions of Filipinos. Many houses in rural and remote villages, during the olden times and even up to the present, are made with natural materials that always include a significant volume of bamboo – from the posts, flooring, walls, dividers, kitchen counters, the sticks that hold the anahaw or nipa thatches, down to the staircase, including extensions and makeshift porches. Common household furniture and implements are also derived from bamboo, such as cabinets, sala sets, tables, beds, chairs, hammocks, and as handles of ladles and brooms, clothespins, back scratchers, fans, baskets, trays, toys, and native musical instruments. Outside the house, bamboo is used as fence, trellis for vines, and supports for clothesline, chicken coop, and pigsty. Bamboo is also used in the farm as component of farm tools, while fisherfolk employ bamboo as fishpens, fishtraps, boat riggers, fishing rod, boat masts, and several other uses. We also find bamboo in skewers for barbecue peddled by the ambulant vendor or served in fancy restaurants, as chopsticks in food stalls, or sold as chopping boards, high-end furniture or wall ornaments, decorative hangings, picture frames and souvenir items. During festive occasions like town fiestas, flower processions, parades, and trade expositions, bamboo is prominent in a variety of uses such as makeshift stalls, carriages, flagstaff, and as handles for flaglets, skewer for litson, or as ornaments or props for folk dances such as the Tinikling and for native parlor games such as the pabitin and palosebo. Dishes from bamboo shoots are also becoming more common, not to mention the use of bamboo poles in various sizes and shapes for cooking or in packaging native delicacies. Despite these myriads of uses, the planting of bamboo has remained infrequently heard of, the areas that have been planted to bamboo are not growing bigger, and the lives of bamboo farmers are not getting any better. In some places even, rural folks are setting bamboo stands on fire to give way to other crops, for alleged lack of income opportunities from bamboo. We find this rather befuddling and unfortunate, because apart from the many v

economic uses of bamboo as enumerated above, the bamboo clump, wherever it grows, forms a root system that strongly holds the soil and prevents it from being eroded. Along river banks, bamboo protects the soil from being carried away by swollen rivers or streams, a phenomenon that is no longer uncommon, thanks to climate change. This book, which is an offshoot of the PCAARRD-funded research program with the same title, is designed to spread the findings of the project, which among others, confirmed the feasibility of using Philippine-grown bamboo for engineered products and the emergence of a local industry that is capable of creating additional value from utilizing native erect bamboo species. We hope that the book will help bridge the gap between bamboo growers who cannot seem to find a market for their poles, and the engineered-bamboo product makers who lament the perceived unavailability of good quality bamboo poles. Finally, we wish to commend the authors, led by the program’s coordinator, Dr. Ramon A. Razal, and Dr. Priscila C. Dolom, project leader of the IEC component, for putting together a material that stakeholders in the Philippine bamboo sector will find useful and mostly relevant for their needs. We hope that everyone who has an interest in bamboo is excited as we are of the many possibilities on how the country’s bamboo resources can capture a significant share of the market for materials needed for construction and furniture in the Philippines and abroad.

(Signed)

(Signed)

REX VICTOR O. CRUZ

PATRICIO S. FAYLON

UPLB Chancellor

PCARRD Executive Director

vi

Preface

This work contains the highlights of the findings of the various component projects under the PCAARRD-funded research program entitled “Mainstreaming Engineered-Bamboo Products for Construction and Furniture.” The research program was implemented from September 2008 to December 2011 by four different research institutions in two different regions. Data gathering activities have brought the project teams to different bamboo plantations and engineered-bamboo products manufacturers all over the country. The completion of this book would be impossible if not for the help and support of many individuals and institutions. We therefore take this opportunity to thank the following who have contributed to this endeavor.  The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), formerly known as the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development for providing the project funds;  Selected state colleges and universities for unselfishly sharing information and other forms of support during the team’s visit: Pampanga Agricultural College, Magalang, Pampanga; Tarlac College of Agriculture, Camiling, Tarlac; Isabela State University, Cabagan, Isabela; Mariano Marcos State University, City of Batac, Ilocos Norte; UP Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo; and the Mindanao State University, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte;  The processors of bamboo products: Carmelite Missionaries Bamboo Craft Center of La Paz, Iloilo; Bamboza in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo; Buglas Bamboo Institute, in Dauin, Negros Oriental; Wood Inspirations of Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac; JB Woodcraft of Betis, Pampanga; and Wing An Enterprises, in San Juan, Metro Manila;  The DENR regional offices, local government units in the areas visited; the DTI, Maasin City in Southern Leyte, and the Cottage Industries Technology Center (CITC), Marikina City;

vii



 

The bamboo farmers and traders who willingly shared their experiences, knowledge and relevant information with the project team; Our respective families for their confidence, love and support; and God Almighty, above all, for His unending guidance and inspiration.

The Authors

viii

Table of Contents Foreword

v

Preface

vii

Table of Contents

ix

List of Tables

xii

List of Figures

xiii

Acronyms/Abbreviations

xvi

1 Introduction

1

The Engineered-Bamboo Project Mainstreaming e-bamboo products – what it seeks to achieve Imperative for converting bamboo poles into engineered products 2 Philippine Bamboo Resources for Engineered-Bamboo Products Bamboo pole production Status of bamboo plantations 3 Bamboo Stand Management, Harvesting and Post- harvest Operations for Engineered-Bamboo Production Clump management Harvesting poles for engineered-bamboo production

4

4 8 9 15 15 18 29 29 31

Selection of culms

33

Timing of harvest

36

Transporting Bamboo Poles

39

Post-harvest Treatment

41

Properties of Philippine Bamboo Poles

43

Chemical properties

43

Structure and anatomical properties

47

Physico-mechanical properties

50

Other characteristics of bamboo that influence its suitability for Engineered-bamboo products Length, straightness of pole, culm diameter and taper

56

ix

58

5

Internode length and number of internodes per culm Culm wall thickness

57

Absence of defects on the surface of the bamboo poles Age of bamboo

59

Manufacturing Technologies for Engineered-Bamboo Products Material preparation technologies

57

59 61 61

Converting bamboo poles into slats

61

Preservative treatment

64

Drying of bamboo

66

Gluing and assembly

72

Finishing of e-bamboo panels

75

Influence of manufacturing conditions on the properties of e-bamboo products Ensuring uniform thickness of slats and surface preparation Treatments to improve resistance to biodeterioration Gluing and assembly considerations

77

Drying to achieve favorable moisture content 6 Engineered-Bamboo Enterprises: Status, Promotion and Development Processors of Engineered-Bamboo Products Initiatives for the development and promotion of engineered-bamboo enterprises in the Philippines Value Chain for Engineered-Bamboo Products 7 Looking into the Future of Bamboo

77 77 78 78 79 81 82 91 93

Bamboo’s future in the construction and furniture industry

93

Making the most out of bamboo

95

Green vehicles with bamboo components

96

Bike and Motor scooter with bamboo parts

100

Other non-traditional uses of bamboo

101

x

8 Creating an Environment for a More Competitive E-Bamboo Products Industry Policies that affect the bamboo resources: Making them responsive to industry’s needs Formulating standards for more competitive e-bamboo products Understanding what the market for e-bamboo products want Developing a Roadmap for the Philippine Bamboo Industry References Annex A. Draft Philippine National Standards for Engineered-Bamboo Annex B. Laws and Policy Issuances Cited in the Book

xi

105 105 112 117 121 123 129 137

List of Tables TABLE NO.

PARTICULARS

PAGE

2.1

Bamboo pole production in the different regions of the Philippines, 1990-2010. Annual average retail price (PhP/piece) of Kawayan tinik poles per region per year. Bamboo species planted in tenured areas within forestlands in the different regions of the Philippines as of 2011. Distribution of bamboo stands in three selected provinces with bamboo processing centers. Chemical composition of selected Philippine bamboo species. Specific gravity (relative density) and shrinkage values of selected erect bamboo species. Mechanical properties of erect, Philippine bamboo species. Common structural features of erect Philippine bamboo. Changes in selected properties of bamboo poles with age. Appropriate number of knives on the splitter corresponding to diameter of culms. Chemicals/preservatives used by local engineeredbamboo processors. Recommended MC-based kiln drying schedule for round, solid Kawayan tinik bamboo poles. Name, location, year of establishment and status of ebamboo processors. Physical and mechanical properties of imported and locally produced E-bamboo. Minimum range of values that can provide the technical basis for development of standards for Ebamboo flooring materials. Properties of e-bamboo products and how important they are to potential e-bamboo products customers.

25

2.2 2.3 2.4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 5.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 8.1 8.2 8.3

xii

26 27 28 44 52 54 58 60 65 67 72 80 115 116 119

List of Figures FIGURE NO. 1.1 1.2

2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2

3.3 3.4 4.1 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7

PARTICULARS

PAGE

Examples of various locally-made engineered-bamboo products and their potential uses Unmanaged bamboo clump showing deteriorating and collapsing over-mature poles causing damage to residual bamboo poles and crowding the base to prevent emergence of new shoots Distribution of bamboo plantations in the different regions and provinces in the Philippines Distribution of giant bamboo plantations in the different regions and provinces in the Philippines Recommended timing of harvesting bamboo and corresponding post-harvest treatment to minimize/prevent decay in harvested bamboo poles Gatherers carry bamboo poles on their shoulders, a common practice of carrying poles on steep terrain or when gatherers do not own carabaos to pull newly-cut poles Improvised trolley cart for transporting bamboo poles in Pililla, Rizal Trucks are used as a major transport system for hauling bamboo poles from the loading sites to the processing plants Options in constructing/assembly of bamboo planks from slats General process flow for making engineered products from bamboo poles Hand held splitter with 8-knives Producing slats with the use of a twin-blade saw at Bamboza in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo Vat used by Buglas Bamboo Institute where bamboo slats are dipped in a solution of Woodtec® before further processing Common practice in air drying bamboo poles Proposed kiln-drying schedule for bamboo slats, with no humidity control Commonly practiced method of drying solid bamboo

6

xiii

13

21 22 38 40

40 41 53 61 62 64 66 68 69 70

5.8 5.9

5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13

poles, with longer dimension of the pole parallel to kiln length and perpendicular to direction of air circulation Recommended technique for breaking the nodal diaphragms to open the bamboo tube for air passage to facilitate drying Recommended stacking arrangement of bamboo poles in a kiln to facilitate drying, where the poles are perpendicular to the kiln length and air circulates through the hollow bamboo tubes Cross-cutting of bamboo poles to the desired length. The specialized saw prevents binding of the saw with the bamboo Planing or surfacing of bamboo slats to make the thickness uniform before assembly into engineeredbamboo planks Matching of slats to insure uniform size, color and appearance of assembled engineered-bamboo planks Pressing of engineered-bamboo planks using manually-tightened screw presses or clamps

71 71

74 74 75 75

6.1

Actual model of armchair made with engineeredbamboo products and fabricated by CITC

83

6.2

83

7.3

Actual model of school desk made with engineeredbamboo products fabricated by CITC Slats produced by nodes, bundled and carefully stacked prior to shipment to the hubs for processing into engineered-bamboo products An eco-model car made of bamboo in Leyte, Philippines Value chain map of the engineered-bamboo industry Bamboo Lumber – Solid; Color: Caramel; Size: 2000 × 200 × 40mm Bamboo Lumber – Strand; Color: Natural; Size: 1870 × 104 × 140mm Dell’s bamboo encased computer

7.4

ASUS bamboo laptop

95

7.5

Eight-ton capacity, ten-meter bridge with bamboo components

96

6.3 6.4 6.5 7.1 7.2

xiv

85 89 91 94 94 95

7.6

7.8 7.9 7.10 7.11 7.12

View from underneath a foot bridge made from bamboo Phoenix, the car made from bamboo and rattan and designed by Filipino furniture designer, Kenneth Cobonpue The BamGoo The MeGuru The MA car from Thailand Rinspeed BamBoo YikanaRenault 4 Bambu

98 98 99 100 100

7.13

The Epoch

100

7.14

The T20 Bamboo Scooter

101

7.15

Ajiro Bamboo Velobike

101

7.16

Uses of bamboo fiber in clothing or apparel

102

7.17

Hawaiian-made surfboards containing bamboo

103

7.18

Philippine-made surfboard which can be procured through the internet Delamination test of e-bamboo products

103

Configuration of test samples to determine different mechanical properties of engineered-bamboo products

114

7.7

8.1 8.2

xv

98 97

114

Acronyms/Abbreviations AWP BBI BIR CBFM CBFMA CENRO CITC CNFPO COF CRMF CTA CV DAR DA DAO DENR DepEd DOLE DOST DTI ERDB EO FAO FAO FMB FOB FPRDI GPS IFMP

Annual Work Plan Buglas Bamboo Institute Bureau of Internal Revenue Community-Based Forest Management Community-Based Forest Management Agreement Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Cottage Industries Technology Center Certificate of Non-Timber Forest Products Origin Certificate of Origin Form Community Resources Management Framework Certificate of Transport Agreement Certificate of Verification Department of Agrarian Reform Department of Agriculture Department Administrative Order Department of Environment and Natural Resources Department of Education Department of Labor and Employment Department of Science and Technology Department of Trade and Industry Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau Executive Order Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Forestry Administrative Order Forest Management Bureau Free on board Forest Products Research and Development Institute Global Positioning System Industrial Forest Management Program xvi

IRR IFP LEED LGU m MOE MOR NAMRIA NEDA NCI NCR NGP NTFP OIDCI OTOP PBIDC PENRO PNS RA UTM USGBC

Implementing Rules and Regulation Industrial Forest Plantation Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Local government unit meter Modulus of elasticity Modulus of rupture National Mapping and Resource Information Authority National Economic Development Authority National Convergence Initiative National Capital Region National Greening Program Non-Timber Forest Products Orient Integrated Development Consultants, Inc. One Town, One Product Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Philippine National Standards Republic Act Universal testing machine United States Green Building Council

xvii

xviii

1

Introduction

The contributions of bamboo to human life and the development of society have been known for ages. A renewable natural plant resource, bamboo is used for food, as construction material for shelter and furniture, as source of fuel, and as components of household tools, farm and fishing implements, toys, crafts and many other products and applications that have benefited humans in their day-to-day existence. Today’s bamboo resources also provide people with incomes to support the family and with opportunities to prosper in business. The attractiveness of bamboo owes not only from its economic importance but also because of its environmental and cultural significance. Customarily used by indigenous peoples and rural dwellers as far back as their great predecessors, the expansion of the use of bamboo in modern times will help increase awareness of and appreciation for ethnic cultures and traditional practices. Bamboo is also favorably seen as a material that can address both poverty alleviation and environmental protection, and this reputation has propelled the growing global interest in bamboo. Consequently, opportunities have opened up for international and regional cooperation and exchange through technology transfer on bamboo production and utilization, the development and adoption of international standards for bamboo products, and the broadening of markets for the global trade in bamboo commodities. Locally, interior designers, architects, private contractors and even government planners are becoming receptive to the use of bamboo in their respective spheres. If such interest is translated into actual demand for bamboo and bamboo products, there is great potential to boost rural livelihood in communities with significant bamboo resources. In the 1990s, manufacturers of bamboo-based products sprouted in various provinces in the Philippines, many of which have since declared bamboo as their OTOP (one town, one product).

Chapter 1

Introduction

Engineered-bamboo products or simply e-bamboo are relatively recent innovations in the bamboo sector. The local research community acknowledged that e-bamboo products can well become the sector’s flagship outputs, which, when mainstreamed in the Philippine market for construction and furniture through further product development, promotion, and marketing, will provide the impetus for revitalizing the Philippine bamboo industry. Globally, trade in ebamboo products easily runs into hundred million dollars, primarily from exports of China, India, and Vietnam. It behooves the Philippine bamboo sector to follow in the footsteps of these countries, because of the inherent advantages in terms of its tropical location, a climate favorable for growing bamboo, rich bamboo resources, and the acknowledged craftsmanship of Filipino workers. Just like any other novelty item, however, the introduction of e-bamboo products in the Philippines is faced with many challenges. By and large, ebamboo products are still regarded in the country as high-end materials for construction and furniture, with their use being mainly confined to resorts, hotels, and residential houses of bamboo enthusiasts. Mainstreaming these products in the Philippine raw materials market for construction and furniture will entail multi-pronged approaches to further enhance domestic consumers’ acceptance of these manufactured goods. Toward this end, it is deemed imperative to vigorously promote the use of engineered-bamboo products as substitutes for wood in construction, housing, furniture, and handicraft-making. Likewise, technologies that have been developed in the manufacture of engineered-bamboo ought to be disseminated and used by processors, taking into consideration the physical and mechanical properties of locally available bamboo species such as Kawayan tinik, bolo and giant bamboo. E-bamboo products should be seen as reasonably-priced items that are just as durable, dependable, and easy to work with as wood, to make the shift from traditional, basically wood-based construction and furniture materials easier for consumers. On top of being able to capture a sizeable fraction of the local market, domestically manufactured e-bamboo products must also aim to gain greater acceptability in the more lucrative international market. There is nothing to lose in globalizing the bamboo industry, which can be achieved by producing e2

Mainstreaming Engineered-Bamboo Products for Construction and Furniture

bamboo products that meet internationally-agreed quality standards at minimal costs. Additionally, e-bamboo product manufacturers targeting the export market must also be able to provide large product volumes and delivered to international clients without delay. For these to be realized, there is a need to insure continuous supply of quality bamboo poles, carry out efficient processing operations, implement clear-cut trading and exchange activities, and set in motion an overarching policy environment that is conducive to the development of the e-bamboo product industry. This can happen by mobilizing and coordinating the activities of the various players in the entire e-bamboo products value chain, starting with the bamboo planters, pole traders, processors, and exporters, as well as government policy formulating institutions and the scientific community. Making bamboo supply meet the volume of materials required downstream is important for mainstreaming to succeed. This book aims to meet two objectives: 1) To present a comprehensive understanding of the material side of engineered-bamboo products, such as raw material requirements and whether the properties of locally available bamboo can meet such requirements; and 2) To provide information on the whole range of activities in bringing engineered-bamboo products to the market, from propagation, harvesting and processing and coordinating them in a way that would increase market confidence in their availability and quality. The manner of bamboo production in the country has largely assumed that propagation and harvesting are the same for all bamboo, regardless of intended use. We contend that there are requirements peculiar for engineered-bamboo products, and hence, the need for added measures to ensure that poles delivered to e-bamboo processing plants will end up being used and not rejected. This book will complement e-bamboo publications earlier issued by the information, education and communication (IEC) component of the bamboo program1. We 1

Engineered-Bamboo: Make-over of a Poor Man’s Timber (2010) by A.B. Palacpac, P.C. Dolom, R.A. Razal, M.M.B. Villanueva and S.C. Camacho; Sustainable Harvesting and Management of Bamboo for the Production of Engineered-Bamboo Products (2010) by S.C. Camacho, P.C. Dolom, R.A. Razal, M.M.B. Villanueva and A.B. Palacpac; (c) State-of-theArt: Processing Engineered-Bamboo Products in the Philippines (2010) by M.M.B. Villanueva,

3

Chapter 1

Introduction

hope that students, teachers, and researchers will find this book useful in their academic pursuits. We also wish that farmers, traders, manufacturers, and government officials will also use this book for their various information needs on bamboo. The Engineered-Bamboo Project The PCAARRD research program on “Mainstreaming Engineered-Bamboo for Furniture and Construction” aims to revitalize the Philippine bamboo industry for the benefit of the bamboo growers and farmers, e-bamboo processors and their workers, and the country’s forestry sector which is currently beset with wood supply problems. The project’s vision is to mainstream engineeredbamboo products in the local construction, housing and furniture markets, which means that consumers will easily substitute their need for “wood” with ebamboo products made available at competitive costs. The strategies for accomplishing the lofty objective of mainstreaming e-bamboo products in the Philippines are embodied in five component projects, which are individually directed at various functions in the e-bamboo value chain. These include the provision of poles through plantation development, improvement of technologies for harvesting, post-harvest and material preparation, development of standards, enterprise development, and marketing. As a whole, these individual projects contribute towards the goal of making the value chain for ebamboo products more economically viable and globally competitive. Intensified interest in bamboo has resulted in its emergence as one of the most important non-wood forest products with properties that enable its substitution for wood. The Philippine Furniture and Handicraft Sub-clusters Industry Strategic Plan (2005-2020) recommended that the “bamboo processing industry position itself as a substituting industry, that is, as a very viable alternative to a big chunk of the wood industry” (PCARRD, 2005). The Strategic Plan P.C. Dolom, R.A.Razal, S.C. Camacho and A.B. Palacpac; and (d) Bamboo Policy Abstracts: Sway Like the Bamboo But Do Not Bend the Rules (2011) by P.C. Dolom, M.M.B. Villanueva, A.B. Palacpac, R.A. Razal and S.C. Camacho.

4


proposed that the industry’s strategic direction should be aimed at substituting standard wood products with bamboo-based products. The Strategic Plan further recommended that the bamboo processing industry should re-engineer its technology to such an extent that it will enable individual enterprises to be competitive and be at par with wood-based products both domestically and internationally. Attaining this vision for the industry would require a new level of competence and physical plant configuration, human resource skills, and management capability (PCARRD, 2005). In recent years, bamboo has found new uses in more exacting applications through its transformation into high quality, high-value added products using modern processing techniques. Research and development efforts at the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), the Cottage Industries Technology Center (CITC) and innovative product development by various private enterprises (e.g., InHand Abra, SidlakPinoy, Bamboo Buglas Institute) have produced various bamboo-based products that worked around the limitations of bamboo and fully exploited the material’s physical and mechanical attributes. These products have been collectively known as engineered-bamboo which includes panel boards, bamboo-based composite boards, reconstituted panel products and laminated flattened boards (Bello and Alipon 1996; OIDCI 1997). Figure 1.1 gives examples of the different, locallymade engineered-bamboo products in the country.

5

Chapter 1

Introduction

Figure 1.1 Examples of locally-made engineered-bamboo products and their potential uses.

E-bamboo products are obtained from bamboo poles that had undergone conversion into strips, slats, strands, fibers, and which are then reassembled, with the use of a binder under pressure and with or without high temperature, into broader or longer board-, lumber-, or panel-like materials. Alongside the development of engineered-bamboo was the evolution of technology for engineered-bamboo production. E-bamboo products are positioned as wood substitutes for flooring, panels and non-traditional furniture, with a projected global market valued at USD15-20B per year by 2017. Some processors cater to the local consumers, preferring to call their creation E-kawayan to lend a more native flavor to the product. Critical to ensuring high e-bamboo manufacturing mill productivity and the quality of e-bamboo products is the quality of bamboo raw material inputs going into the mill. Ease of manufacture as well as the strength, appearance, and durability of the finished e-bamboo are influenced by the quality of bamboo 6


poles that are fed into the machines. Quality of bamboo poles in turn, is influenced by the management, harvesting, transport, handling, post-harvest, and other operations prior to reaching the mills. Improper harvesting practices damage not only the harvested poles but the residual stems as well, with injuries to standing poles serving as entry points for insects and microbial organisms that cause undesirable pinholes and blemishes, thereby reducing the quality of the poles. Likewise, poor transport and handling procedures either dent, smash up, or cause scratches that lower the recoverable volume from each bamboo pole. Upon arrival at the mill, bamboo poles undergo further material preparation activities before they are finally processed for e-bamboo manufacture. According to Sherwin Lao (personal communication, 2008) of Wing An Enterprises, a local e-bamboo product manufacturer, the single most important bottleneck to the company’s operation is the quality of bamboo poles delivered to his plant. The age at the time of harvesting bamboo poles is crucial in e-bamboo product manufacture, as dimensional stability and strength, as well as handling and processing operations are generally dictated by the maturity of the bamboo pole prior to its use. Immature poles have narrower culm walls, readily succumb to fungal and insect infestation, and worse, collapse or change dimensions during processing, especially upon exposure to heat and pressure. Young culms should be avoided at all costs, and harvesting techniques generally prescribe that removal should be limited only to those that are at least four years old. Malab et al. (2007) devised a scheme for harvesting bamboo poles that leave out young culms while removing the mature ones. The FPRDI (1999), on the other hand, published a training manual on bamboo processing designed to guide processors on the proper machining, drying, and preservative treatment of bamboo. Despite research and development breakthroughs in bamboo management, harvesting, post-harvest, and processing technologies, those who are actually engaged in these operations, be it in the field or in the processing centers, hardly employ these advanced knowledge and technologies for their craft. This observation is based on the end products that are churned out - bamboo poles from the farm and finished engineered-bamboo products from the shop - the 7

Chapter 1

Introduction

quality of which leave much to be desired. This indicates that there still remains a vast gap between those who develop technologies on one hand, and their intended users at the other end of the bamboo business. There should be a continuing system for the adoption and application of novel technologies to ensure that bamboo-based products that emerge would become and remain competitive and viable alternatives to wood-based materials currently available in the market. The marketing and IEC component project came about because of the need for information, education and communication (IEC) campaign to fill the dearth of materials pertaining to policies and their implementation for the benefit of stakeholders of the bamboo industry (Rivera et al., 2003). It also addresses concerns by farmers about the perceived restrictive and confusing bamboo policies and the lack of access to information on the silvicultural requirements, proper harvesting and handling of bamboo poles during transport, among others (FDC, 2004). The project also tackled the challenges in the marketing of ebamboo, and released materials on appropriate and improved technologies in harvesting, processing, machine engineering and design as a way of heightening awareness about e-bamboo products. Mainstreaming e-bamboo products – what it seeks to achieve It is hoped that through this publication, the project’s outcome will result to mainstreaming the development of e-bamboo products to meet the demand for materials by the construction and furniture sectors. We envision engineeredbamboo products to be readily available, alongside other furniture/construction materials in any hardware store, and that the consumer is not constrained by price in his or her choice of items to procure. As project implementers, however, we recognize that mainstreaming engineered-bamboo products will also entail the pursuit of development programs and the crafting of policies that will enhance the substitution of wood with bamboo. Mainstreaming bamboo would also help achieve the goals of reducing poverty by offering better livelihood opportunities and consequently, improved wellbeing for bamboo farmers. As the European Commission (2005) puts it, 8


“mainstreaming is about influencing dominant ideas, attitudes, practices or trends to achieve change in policy and in practice – change in the attitudes and skills.” It involves ensuring that engineered-bamboo products and the goals of the stakeholders in the industry become central to activities pertaining to policy development, research, advocacy/dialogue, legislation, resource allocation and planning, as well as in implementation and monitoring of programs and projects (www.un.org). Thus, this book does not only aspire to reach out to the furniture and construction sectors’ end-users but the country’s policy and decision-makers as well as investors looking for enterprises to support. Imperative for Converting Bamboo Poles into Engineered Products In recent years, owing to the relative scarcity of wood from forest trees in certain regions around the world, forest products scientists have begun to look for alternative materials that can be used as substitutes for wood for many of the latter’s traditional applications. “New woods” as they are now called, these novelty materials include palms, plantation-grown trees, and bamboo. While bamboo has been in use for centuries, it was relegated as a lower-class construction material relative to wood. Bamboo did not have the bulk or solid properties of wood and was not readily available in Europe and the United States where technologies were fast developing to meet the burgeoning need for materials for housing, furniture, and various emerging industries (e.g., shipping and transport). During the industrial revolution and until the last quarter of the 20th century, the demand for wood as a material for housing and furniture was met by extracting trees from natural forests that must have taken many centuries to grow. Sadly, the virgin forests are now mostly degraded resulting in global prohibitions for logging operations in old-growth forests due to the perceived adverse consequences to biodiversity and the environment. But human population growth and the desire for better housing and living standards in both developed and developing countries do not end with the depletion of natural forests that once supplied the wood materials. This situation has served as the impetus for large scale planting of trees and the exploration of alternative raw materials. Bamboo, which takes a much shorter period of time to 9

Chapter 1

Introduction

grow than trees, appears poised to take over as preferred material to meet man’s “wood” requirements. This has driven the search for processing technologies to overcome the limitations of bamboo in order to provide it with the bulk, shape and configuration that true wood possesses. With regard to material properties, bamboo has strength and construction qualities that compare favorably with wood and other construction and furniture components. According to Janssen (as cited by Steinfeld, 2001), bamboo is second to concrete in terms of strength, and tops concrete, steel and wood in stiffness. A short, straight bamboo culm can withstand a load of up to 11,000 lbs (Janssen, as cited by Steinfeld, 2001). : On average, bamboo has a green density of at least 740 kg/m3. It is dimensionally stable, and shrinks and expands less than most woods as its moisture content changes. Although the high content of silica in bamboo dulls cutting tools faster, the same chemicals render the bamboo “wood” a little more resistant to decay. Many consider the “wood” of bamboo to be elegant, its color soft, and the nodes, while considered a nuisance during processing, provides a unique aesthetic value that is attractive to some consumers. The soft color is a distinct advantage of bamboo over equivalently colored hardwoods because bamboo generally has three times the strength of light-colored wood species. Many new products made of bamboo are emerging and have found their way into residential homes, offices and buildings. Bamboo can now be converted to flooring, paneling, staircases, laminated lumber, mouldings, furniture, and into composition board products such as particle board, oriented strandboard and as structural elements in construction works. The general process for making these products entails careful harvesting and collection, various intermediate processes such as cross-cutting to length, splitting, washing, and cooking to impart durability, followed by final mechanical processing that depends on the end product (for example, scoring and moulding for tongue-and-groove matched laminates), and subsequently gluing, pressing, curing, and finishing towards the end of the entire process. New finishes and finishing technology are also being developed to impart 10


aesthetic properties to give greater character to the bamboo panels and finished products, while meeting rigorous consumer demands for environment-friendly chemical finishes and application methods. Bamboo pertains to a group of plants that belong to the grass (Gramineae or Poaceae) family. Unlike most grasses, however, many bamboo species are tall and as such, they produce long stems that are so versatile and amenable to multipurpose uses. They are popular for making houses, crafts, furniture, and farm and fish implements. For a long time, bamboo culms found their way as a material for making traditional products for the home, for crafting houseware such as baskets, mats and clothespins, as tools for hunting, cooking, and eating, for cordage, and for many other practical items that harnessed the bamboo stem’s length, strength, lightness, workability, flexibility, and adaptability for a variety of applications. Bamboo is composed of many different species, which in turn have varied properties; some develop upright and straight stems, while others are vine-like or climbing species. Of great interest for engineered-bamboo manufacture are the erect species that grow long, sturdy, rigid, hard, lignified, and “wood-like” stems. Much unlike the stem from trees which is solid, continuous along its entire length, and with more or less uniform visual appearance (save for the heartwood-sapwood differences) and almost unvarying mechanical properties throughout the cross-section, the bamboo stem is hollow in the middle, jointed or disrupted by nodes along its length, and is characterized by marked differences in strength between the outer surface and the inner tissue that lines the hollow central portion. To differentiate the bamboo stem from those of trees, it is often referred to as a pole or culm. The culm can reach lengths of more than 30 m, with little variation in diameter from the lower portion to the top, and with some species such as Kawayan tinik and Giant bamboo, having sufficient culm wall thickness that lends the bamboo poles suitable for the production of slats or splits needed to manufacture engineered-bamboo products. Bamboo grows fast, with some species capable of growing as much as 1 m per day during the initial shoot stage of the pole. Species that have the ability to 11

Chapter 1

Introduction

form clumps (i.e., sympodial) can produce several stems from each clump in a single growing season, while single poles that do not tend to cluster emanate from the rhizomes of the monopodial variety. The stems also develop to maturity within three to four years, at which age the stems become suitable for use in many items or implements helpful to humans. Unlike the stems of most trees which can last for hundreds of years because of their capacity to withstand fungal decay and other pests that invade the plant from the outside save perhaps for natural damages brought by landslides, floods, and fire, bamboo poles perish within 7 to 8 years (Wikipedia). The bamboo stem succumbs to fungal attack that decimates the solid culm wall, resulting in the pole decaying or collapsing on its own weight with age. From human standpoint, the decay that ensues in standing but aged bamboo poles is a waste of valuable resource. Hence, harvesting of mature bamboo poles for utilization and consumption by humans can be strongly justified. A bamboo plant can grow many stems that mature within a relatively short duration; if left unharvested, the stems die off due to natural deterioration processes. Deterioration of bamboo poles as a result of decay may lead to the slow emission of gaseous carbon into the atmosphere. In the light of global warming brought about by accumulation in the atmosphere of greenhouse gases including CO2, leaving bamboo poles in the clumps to simply rot or deteriorate with time, contributes little to carbon storage objectives. On the contrary, if harvested and utilized properly, the carbon stored in the bamboo pole would eventually be locked in the products which the bamboo pole is made into. With appropriate treatment, the bamboo pole can be made even more durable and thus, would last for a much longer period of time. This prevents the release in a seemingly wasteful manner, of carbon that was stored by the bamboo plant through several years of photosynthesis and growth. Carbon stock measurements on growing bamboo have also shown that managing plantations, inclusive of operations to harvest the mature bamboo poles, result in better ability of the bamboo clumps to collectively accumulate carbon. Unmanaged plantations sequester less carbon than managed plantations not only because of the retrieval and long-term storage of carbon from harvested poles, 12


but also because of less vigorous growth of unmanaged bamboo stands. Unmanaged bamboo stands tend to have more damaged poles, as well as fewer new pole growths because of crowding from unharvested, over-mature culms (Figure 1.2).

Figure

1.2.

Unmanaged bamboo clump showing deteriorating and collapsing over-mature poles causing damage to residual bamboo poles and crowding the base, thereby preventing emergence of new shoots.

13

2

Philippine Bamboo Resources for Engineered-Bamboo Products

Bamboo Pole Production Asia is the world’s richest continent in bamboo resources. The region’s major bamboo producing countries are India which has almost 11.4 million hectares of land planted to bamboo, China with over 5.4 million hectares, Indonesia has two million hectares, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic which has 1.6 million hectares. Compared with other continents, Asia has about 65% of the world’s bamboo resources, compared with 28% for Latin America and 7% for Africa (FAO, 2007). The FAO assessment report (ftp://ftp.fao.org) showed that the total bamboo area worldwide is more than 36 million hectares. On average, these account for 3.2 percent of the total forest area of 16 countries in Asia, five countries from Africa and four countries in Latin America. Bamboo is an exceptional, natural economic resource and its physical properties and environmental attributes continue to offer new uses and better opportunities for trade and industry. It has become a substitute material for wood in making paper, pulp, board and charcoal. For many years, it has been used in construction in its natural form, and more recently as a reconstituted material in the form of laminated panels and boards (FAO, 2007). Although engineered-bamboo products are still hard to find in lumberyards or hardware stores in the Philippines, several initiatives are being undertaken to develop and promote this novel product locally. Bamboo is already being

Chapter 2

Philippine Bamboo Resources

eyed as a replacement for wood in many of the latter’s applications. Every part of the bamboo can be processed into various products, and such versatility makes consumers even more interested in it as a raw material. The estimated international market for industrial bamboo products is valued at around $10 billion and projected to reach $17 billion by 2017 (http://www.mb.com.ph). The mood among stakeholders insofar as bamboo is concerned is quite optimistic, with no less than the Regional Director of the Department of Trade and Industry in Region 11 (Davao City) predicting that the country will be able to secure a share of the multi-billion world market for bamboo (Tacio, 2011). In the Philippines, bamboos are found in both forest and in private (alienable and disposable) lands. Bamboo plants that grow in these lands can be natural stands or plantations established through government conservation and reforestation programs or by holders of tenurial agreements. Hence, bamboo stands in the Philippines are classified as follows: 1) privately-owned plantations; 2) privately-owned natural stands; 3) public or state-owned plantations; and 4) public or state-owned natural stands. Bamboo plantations are more intensively managed while natural stands are pretty much left on their own, requiring or receiving very little human care and attention, and consequently, the productivity of these unmanaged stands is quite low. A study by Malab et al. (2009) showed that unmanaged plantations can still be made productive, and in the process sustainably produce quality poles and shoots. The combined effects of cleaning, irrigation, application of inorganic fertilizer, mulch and organic matter, and varying culm density regimes on the production of good-quality culms (poles) and shoots can transform unmanaged natural bamboo stands into sustainably managed and productive plantations. Information on the extent and location of bamboo plantations in natural forests and in private lands have not been updated while some regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) do not have any data at all. In addition, there are no available estimates of bamboo 16


production and harvest in the country. The need for a national inventory on bamboo resources had already been expressed by local bamboo scientists and during the formulation of the Philippine Bamboo Master Plan (Virtucio and Roxas, 2003; OIDCI, 1997). Even the international community has already recommended including bamboo in national inventories (Lobovikov, 2010). The last inventory on natural stands of was conducted by Virtucio et al. (1988) but it was focused on Kawayan tinik only. The RP-German forest resources inventory (1989 cited by OICDI, 1997), estimated 413.6 million standing bamboo poles or culms from different bamboo species growing in the country. It is unfortunate that the Philippines still lacks an updated and comprehensive resource assessment on the distribution of existing bamboo stands in the country. Such situation contributes to misconceptions about the real extent of bamboo resources and whether these are enough to enable expansion of commodity products from bamboo. This information gap is especially true for bamboo poles from "natural stands." While the bulk of the bamboo poles that are made available to processing plants appears to be sourced from natural stands, the official data on bamboo forest charges suggest otherwise. Collection of forest charges from bamboo harvesting is almost negligible, which implies that the bamboo poles reported to the DENR were mostly gathered from planted stands. A more accurate inventory of bamboo resources is needed, and this information should be made available to relevant stakeholders, particularly processors of bamboo products who have a stake in knowing the total area developed as bamboo plantations, available volume, species planted, and location of pole suppliers. Such data base will provide indices needed for estimating production capacities and requirements of bamboo-based industries. The development of a more rational bamboo industry can proceed if newly-established bamboo processing plants can be supported by existing stands, or at least a reasonable projection can be made of additional areas to be developed to augment the raw material base of bamboo-dependent industries. 17

Chapter 2


Status of Bamboo Plantations In 1910, the total area planted to bamboo in the Philippines was estimated to be 200,000 hectares. After about 67 years, a decline of 97% was recorded in 1978 (PCARRD, 1984). In the 1997 Bamboo Master Plan, the existence of bamboo plantations was reported as follows: 20,500 to 34,000 hectares in forestlands; 2,236 hectares in government plantations; 3,037 hectares in privately-owned plantations and 13,435 hectares in natural stands. These data suggest the diminishing of the country’s bamboo resources. This can be attributed to overexploitation, forest destruction and continuous change in land use (Virtucio, 2009). For several decades, bamboo from natural stands has been decreasing in area coverage. The projected demand for bamboo in 2015 is 113 to 132 million culms (OIDCI, 1997). At one time, the very high local demand for kawayan tinik in the province of Abra could not be adequately met because the poles were brought to other provinces like Laguna (Virtucio and Roxas, 2003). It is not farfetched to foresee shortages in the supply of bamboo poles should the production e-bamboo products gain more ground in the country. There are 62 species of bamboos recorded in the country, of which 21 are endemic or native Philippine bamboos, 13 are climbers and 8 are erect (Virtucio and Roxas, 2003; Malab, 2000; and Espiloy, 1999). In addition, 15 of the total species were introduced from other countries (Virtucio, 2009). Eight species were identified as commercial species as follows: kawayan tinik, giant bamboo, bayog, Kawayan kiling, laak, bolo, buho and kayali. Kawayan tinik, giant bamboo and bolo (Kawayan tsina) are the species recommended for e-bamboo products. The DENR annually gathers information on bamboo pole production in the different regions of the country and these form part of the regularly published data in the Philippine Forestry Statistics. Table 2.1 shows the regional and total bamboo pole production from 1990-2010. The data indicates total production of all bamboo poles, but the information does not indicate species, 18


diameter size, or the origin (planted versus natural stands; or public versus private) of the materials. Most likely, poles obtained from both forest and private lands are reported because transporting of bamboo poles, regardless of source, requires a permit issued by the DENR through the respective CENROs (DAO No. 1987-80). The information shows that the peak year for bamboo pole production was in 2000, followed by 2007. In the other years, production did not exceed 1 million poles. Over the twenty-year period, Region 1 topped bamboo pole production, followed by Regions 11 and 12 in Mindanao. In fourth place is Region 5, owing to a singularly large production in 2000. Other regions are apparently not reporting on their bamboo pole production such as Regions 6, 8, and Region 13. Region 6 (Western Visayas) is peculiar because the bamboo capital of the Philippines is supposed to be in Maasin, Iloilo. On the other hand, Region 10 has been the 5th largest producer during the 20-year period, but had stopped indicating any bamboo pole production since 2002. This is curious because the region, particularly the province of Bukidnon, is known to be the country’s major source of good quality giant bamboo poles. It appears that there is a need to improve on the reporting system of bamboo pole production that DENR requires from its field offices. The Philippine Forestry Statistics also publishes information on the average retail price of bamboo poles in the different regions, and Table 2.2 shows the data gathered for Kawayan tinik for the period 1990-2010. It is apparent that the data is wanting, as non-reporting is noted for some years in almost all of the regions. Given the available information, a large disparity in prices is noted among the different regions, with Region 3 posting the highest average price per pole. Prices in Mindanao are apparently low, although the price per pole from the CAR, which includes bamboo-rich Abra and the other mountain provinces, had been consistently on the low side as well. Data gathered by the e-bamboo IEC project team (Dolom et al., 2012) on bamboo plantations have been transformed into various maps as shown in Figures 2.1 and 2.2. According to the survey, the regions with records of 19

Chapter 2


bamboo plantations in public lands are the following: Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 1, 3, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 (Figures 2.1 and 2.2). The list included only the different tenured areas in public lands because the private plantation owners are not required to register their plantations to DENR. The bamboo plantations from private lands get to be listed only when owners or the permittees apply for a certificate of verification (COV) or transport permit. The most number of bamboo plantations (Fig. 2.1) are in Regions 7 in the Visayas, Regions 11 and 12 in Mindanao, and CAR and Region 5 in Luzon. Almost all provinces in Region 7 (Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental) have established bamboo plantations. Still in the Visayas, other plantations were reported in the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz in Region 6. In Luzon, bamboo plantations were reported in the Bicol region, especially in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Masbate. In Northern and Central Luzon, almost all regions had established bamboo plantations, with the most number located in Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region. In Mindanao, bamboo plantations had been established in South Cotabato in Region 12 and in almost all provinces in Region 11 (Davao provinces).

20


Figure 2.1 Distribution of bamboo plantations in different regions and provinces in the Philippines.

21

Chapter 2


Figure 2.2 Distribution of giant bamboo plantations in the different regions and provinces in the Philippines. 22


Data that have been obtained from the DENR regional offices gives a total of 15,122 ha of government area planted to various bamboo species (Table 2.3). Kawayan tinik is found in all the regions and some other species like giant bamboo dominates in the Visayas and Mindanao. Other species reported to have been planted are bayog, buho, kawayan kiling, anos, botong, and Chinese bamboo. Laak is found mostly in Mindanao (Regions 11 and 12), which is used as banana props, a major industry in the South. Figure 2.2 shows the locations of giant bamboo plantations all over the country. Giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) is an introduced species that has adapted well to the country’s climatic conditions. The species grows relatively fast in good soil, and produces large diameter culms whose properties make them suitable for e-bamboo and other structural applications. The species has been planted in different provinces, notably in Bukidnon, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao, Cebu, Iloilo and Negros Occidental in the Visayas, and in the CAR provinces and in Laguna in Luzon. As noted earlier, not all DENR regional offices kept official records of bamboo plantations, public and/or private, within their respective areas of jurisdiction. Understandably, NCR will have no bamboo plantations. Region 2 has no available data on bamboo plantations (and processors) while responses had not been received by the project team from the other regions (4B, 9, and ARMM). The information shown in the maps is limited to data compiled from the DENR regional offices. According to the DENR regional offices, the information on bamboo plantations was generated from submissions of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENRO) and Provincial Environment Natural Resources Offices (PENRO). In turn, the CENRO and PENRO data were gathered from the different tenured areas for public lands while bamboo plantations in private lands were based on the permits secured by the owners to transport their bamboo poles. Bamboo plantation owners in private lands are not required to register their plantations with the DENR. Information on the private sectors’ bamboo plantations are gathered through interviews with the permittees when they apply for a certificate of verification or transport permit. 23

Chapter 2


A separate inventory funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) gave the following data for the island of Samar, broken down as follows: Northern Samar has 5,854 existing bamboo clumps, Samar has 5,715 bamboo clumps, and Eastern Samar has 2,657 bamboo clumps (Meniano, 2011 http://www.bworldonline.com). The DENR Regional Technical Director attributed the apparently low occurrence of bamboo to the non-regulation of non-timber forest products in the region, a rather curious explanation because non-timber forest products are supposed to be monitored by the DENR to make sure that these are not over-exploited from their natural habitats. Abra, Bukidnon and Davao del Norte are among the country’s major sources of bamboo poles and there are bamboo processing centers in these provinces. The survey on the distribution of bamboo stands in public and private areas in Abra showed that the province has more commercial bamboo species in public lands (Table 2.4). But for Bukidnon and Davao del Norte, 67% and 97 % of the total bamboo area are in private lands, respectively (Virtucio and Roxas, 2003).

24


Table 2.1. Bamboo pole production in the different regions of the Philippines, 1990-2010. Region

1990

CAR

1991

1992

1993

1995

1998

1999

2000

2001

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

—

19,300

—

8,000

—

4,325

16,454

197,068

31,712

49,480

38,878

13,995

84,200

30,631

30,329

18,818

16,099

1

219,570

390,899

244,934

17,180

24,515

35,570

203,638

286,010

216,660

47,120

66,293

257,449

311,614

905,937

427,681

437,020

352,351

2

—

—

—

9,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

20,050

7,500

50

8,868

—

3

—

115,080

76,750

79,960

—

—

8,930

5,140

14,730

500

4,600

46,820

11,970

33,710

17,472

104,262

22,880

4A

200

12,074

19,940

—

750

36,700

43380

32,698

—

29,750

20,950

83,128

188,185

139,740

111,160

104,290

156,774

4B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5

3,212

13,231

2,050

31,897

149,451

84,350

90,695

1,428,021

13,885

9,821

28,275

7,296

4,492

9,999

4,923

4,992

8,115

6

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

7

900

—

—

—

300

273

41,150

26,020

—

—

—

—

—

400

2,600

750

400

8

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

9

—

—

—

—

—

23,803

—

—

—

—

—

240,000

—

—

—

—

—

10

83,720

—

—

—

—

265,505

578,788

—

202,622

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

11

333,120

341,400

360,402

329,287

91,717

—

1,000

316,658

57,715

—

26,570

52,750

12,560

7,650

19,700

23,738

7,100

12

—

—

—

—

40,000

—

—

43,538

—

108,984

18,675

164,000

346,269

392,523

257,736

265,661

365,226

13

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

640,722

891,984

704,076

475,324

306,733

450,526

984,035

2,335,153

537,324

245,655

204,241

865,438

979,340

1,528,090

871,651

968,399

928,945

Philippines (Total)

Source: Philippine Forestry Statistics. 1990-2010. Forest Management Bureau (FMB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources

25

Chapter 2


Table 2.2 Annual average retail price (PhP/piece) of Kawayan tinik poles per region per year. REGION

Price per pole (PhP) 1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

CAR

20.83

94.17

35

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

23

—

—

27.75

25

—

27.5

—

34.17

1

—

—

—

—

—

65

77.92

44.5

75.42

74.25

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

—

—

2

—

—

—

—

—

50

50

50.42

55

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

—

—

—

135.17

—

3

40

—

77.5

75

—

100

100

100

—

—

80

85

—

—

126.7

131.9

—

136.95

4

35

35

80

83.33

75.83

80

87.5

104.2

100

100

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

4B

— 550

5

50

43.75

91.25

80

71.67

87.5

107.1

100

87.42

91.08

42.5

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

—

6

—

—

—

—

—

61.25

60

58

68.33

75

43

31

—

—

51.48

49.47

—

48.75

—

— —

7

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

50

—

30

45.17

—

—

70

71.25

—

73.13

—

74.4

8

30

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

11

—

—

—

100

—

100

—

—

9

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

100

80

88.5

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

—

—

10

—

—

70

—

60.42

—

100

57.5

60

—

100

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

—

—

11

15

—

80

80

67.5

60.83

62.5

65

65

—

—

10

—

—

—

—

—

80

—

80

12

—

30

40

—

—

61.67

60

61.5

57.5

71.25

—

25

—

—

67.5

25

—

30

—

30

—

-

—

—

13

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

100

100

100

—

—

—

—

—

—

Source: Philippine Forestry Statistics. 1990-2010. Forest Management Bureau (FMB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources)

26


Table 2.3. Bamboo species planted in tenured areas within forestlands in the different regions of the Philippines as of 2011. Region Forestland area Species (Ha) CAR 675.78 Kawayan tinik, bayog, giant bamboo, buho, kawayan kiling, Chinese bamboo, machiku, lanao, bikal, anos 1 49 Bayog and kawayan tinik 3 158.3 Kawayan tinik, bayog, Indian bamboo, puser, Chinese bamboo, kawayan kiling 5 66 Kawayan tinik 6 8,942.51 Kawayan tinik, kawayan kiling, botong, anos 7 4,492.075 Kawayan tinik, bagakay, buho, bayog, giant bamboo, Chinese bamboo 10 151 Kawayan tinik, giant bamboo, yellow bamboo 11 419.71 Kawayan tinik, botong, buho, yellow bamboo, laak, anos, bagakay, bayog 12 164.44 Giant bamboo, bayog, botong, laak, kawayan tinik 13 3 Kayali, bayog, kawayan tinik, laak, giant bamboo Total 15,121.82 Source: DENR regional offices

The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the DENR started a survey of bamboo stands in 2011 to establish a national database for the following economically important bamboo species: kawayan tinik, giant bamboo, bolo, buho (Lanting et al., 2011). The areas of bamboo stands are determined using remote sensing technology. Satellite images from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) provided the location and areas of bamboo stands. The information generated using the satellite images are subjected to ground verification. Global Positioning System (GPS) aids in determining the exact location in the different provinces. All the areas planted to or with naturally growing bamboo in the

27

Chapter 2


three major island groups, in both public and private lands, shall have been surveyed at the end of the project. Preliminary results from the initial surveys gave a total of 5,550 bamboo stands with a total area of 2,083 hectares. Of the total, Region 7 ranked highest with 3,558 stands and a total area of 889.9 hectares. Among the economically important bamboo species, kawayan tinik occupies the biggest total area of 1,647.6 hectares with 4,690 stands. The total area planted to the other bamboo species is 700.1 hectares representing 613 individual bamboo stands. Table 2.4. Distribution of bamboo stands in three selected provinces with bamboo processing centers. Province

Abra

Bukidnon

Davao del Norte

Area (ha) in public land (%)

9,790 (89%)

405.24 (33%)

2,240 (5%)

Species

Kawayan tinik

Giant bamboo, kawayan tinik

Laak, kawayan tinik

Area (ha) in private land (%) 1,210 (11%)

822.76 (67%)

4346.57 (97%)

Source: Virtucio and Roxas, 2003

28

Species Buho, puser, bikal, kawayan tinik, bayog Bolo, bayog, kawayan kiling, kawayan tinik, giant bamboo Laak, buho, kayali

Total area (ha)

11,000

Annual production (poles) 10 M (buho-41%; other species59%)

535T (Giant bamboo87%) 1,228

4,481

6.34 M (laak-85%; other species-15%); 6M poles from private lands; 336T poles from public lands

3

Bamboo Stand Management, Harvesting and Post-Harvest Operations for Engineered-Bamboo Production

Clump Management The main objective of managing bamboo plantations is to maximize yield through sustained clump productivity (Virtucio, 1996). This can be attained through the application of appropriate silvicultural and harvesting techniques for specific bamboo species. Several factors must be considered to achieve such objectives and these include: the nature of bamboo stands; site conditions related to the species; specific end-use or utilization properties; and regenerative capacity of the given species. Thinning is one of the silvicultural treatments needed for managing bamboo clumps. There are two known methods of thinning old clumps - horse shoe and cross pattern methods (Rivera, undated). However, in the natural bamboo stands of Kawayan tinik visited by the project, little or no intervention in terms of converting the existing clumps into managed stands through the application of appropriate silvicultural treatments such as thinning, clearing and cleaning were done. This could be attributed to the fact that bamboo harvesting is not the primary source of income for most farmers. Most if not all farmers have the mistaken notion that bamboo is an inexhaustible resource. Another reason for the lack of interventions in bamboo stands could be the absence of government regulations or set of prescribed rules on how bamboo, particularly Kawayan tinik, should be managed or at least taken care of by the farmers. There seems to be a lack of understanding as well of the benefits of clump management.

Chapter 3

Bamboo Stand Operations

Where the bamboo farmers are aware of the benefits of bamboo clump management, they are indifferent to adopt innovations in harvesting. The bamboo gatherers in natural bamboo stands do not incur establishment, maintenance or harvesting costs (or do not count their labor as inputs), leading to harvesting practices that are wasteful and detrimental to the continued growth and development of the culms. Additionally, bamboo gatherers do not deliberately practice thinning because clump congestion is not considered a problem in their respective bamboo stands. Bamboo clump management was a low priority activity among them. At harvest time, most farmers merely gather all the culms that are convenient to cut, and are able to dispose most of the poles anyhow, although a lower price for the immature ones is received from the more discriminating buyers. The lack of proper clump management practices tends to perpetuate the production of low quality poles. Thus, there is a need to demonstrate to farmers the economic benefits of bamboo clump management so that they can produce bigger and better quality poles which can be sold at consistently higher prices than immature or defective ones. For Kawayan tinik, clump management results in higher culm production and bigger culms. Early detection and treatment of pest or disease damages are the other benefits that result from decongesting and removing the overgrowth of spiny branches. This was validated in a study conducted on B. blumeana which indicated that removal of spines and cutting of culms (close to the ground) increased shoot production, reduced shoot mortality and minimized the occurrence of deformed culms. The additional 2-m usable culms that can be harvested when clumps are regularly cleared of spiny branches from ground level to 2.0 m height can significantly increase farmers’ incomes. Virtucio and Tomboc (1991) also emphasized the importance of thinning to prevent congestion of clump-forming bamboos such as Schizostachyum lumampao. Likewise, Virtucio et al. (1992) prescribed the application of light thinning; cutting of culms four years old and above; and a felling cycle of two 30


years were the optimum conditions for managing Bambusa blumeana natural stands. Harvesting bamboo stimulates the growth and development of new culms in a clump. As such, appropriate harvesting technologies, silvicultural treatment and timing of cutting of bamboo result in increased clump productivity and good quality bamboo poles that the bamboo industry needs to compete in the global market. Although the traditional harvesting methods are not entirely faulty, the application of scientifically-based harvesting techniques such as the proper selection of mature bamboo culms for a specific end-use, cutting of bamboo at the right season and for the right reasons, appropriate silvicultural treatment, and clump management can significantly contribute to sustainable production and improve the livelihood of farmers who are into bamboo production. Harvesting Poles for Engineered-Bamboo Production Traditional methods of harvesting bamboo culms, which had been handed down from generation to generation, have been the common practices employed in obtaining bamboo poles from natural stands or even from planted stocks. For the production of poles with the quality suitable for e-bamboo production on a sustainable basis, some of the traditional practices of felling bamboos are inappropriate. These include indiscriminate cutting without paying attention to the distribution of the remaining culms in the clump, cutting above the dense spines at the base and leaving the tall stumps that are seldom used, cutting too many poles along the periphery, not clearing the clumps of deformed and dead culms, cutting out of season, and cutting immature culms. The selection of culms to be cut is dependent upon the bamboo farmer who is supposed to have trained sights for identifying mature culms. The technique for harvesting the culms makes no reference to the actual age and relies mostly on the color of the skin and the sound produced by the stem when struck with a stone or the back of a bolo or machete. More often than not, harvested culms will include immature poles especially when the need for bamboo is urgent, or when there is a need to make a sale. Further, when the transaction between the bamboo owner and 31

Chapter 3


the gatherer is on a per clump basis, the latter gathers all that he can in order to maximize his revenue from each clump. Harvesting of bamboo is usually done during the dry season when the starch content is presumed to be low; transport and accessibility to the harvesting sites were easier; and trails and roads are passable. The farmers also believe that the culms are easy to cut because of their low moisture content and the harvested culms are less vulnerable to insect attacks. The presence of spiny branches that form more or less dense, inter-laced thickets at the base of the Kawayan tinik makes access to the clumps very difficult. For this reason, it was observed that bamboo harvesters or gatherers cut only those culms that are the easiest to extract, usually the poles that are at the periphery of the clumps leaving the older or defective culms deep in the middle. Most culms located along the periphery of the clump are relatively young and unsuitable for engineered-bamboo production. Thus, the practice of extracting the easily accessible bamboo poles overexploits the clump for young poles, while the more difficult portions of the bamboo clumps where majority of mature bamboo can be found are left untouched. This practice of cutting along the periphery of the clumps and harvesting the immature culms is wasteful and detrimental to the growth and development of quality bamboo poles. The resulting congestion of the clump makes it difficult for newly emerging shoots to develop into straight poles desirable for engineered-bamboo construction. Thus, preliminary to cutting the pole, the most important step is careful inspection of the clump so that a strategy can be devised to harvest only the mature ones. In appearance, mature bamboo poles that are ready for harvesting can be easily recognized through their dull green color while immature culms are bright green or almost yellow in color. Also, harvesting is done best when the poles have shed off their leaves or when no new leaves are emerging. This usually happens after the rainy season or during the early summer months. These jibe with recommendations by bamboo growers that bamboo poles should be harvested during the dry months of November to early May. 32


Roxas (1998) cited harvesting as one of the most important activities in a bamboo plantation not only because it leads to the production of culms that can be utilized or commercially sold, but also because it can contribute towards improving the production of good quality poles and results in higher product yields. However, the species planted and the quality of the site will largely dictate the interventions needed to produce the desired pole properties, which according to the “Philippines Recommends for Bamboo” (PCARRD, 1984), may take between five to seven years to reach maturity. Selection of Culms Several studies have shown that fully mature culms are stronger, denser, more durable and less prone to insect attack than immature ones. Virtucio (2004) reported that the approximate age of bamboo culm for harvesting may be based on two criteria, namely: 1) the purpose for which the culm would be utilized; and 2) the minimum age at which removal of the culm would no longer affect the productivity of the mother clump or the rhizome system. Ideally, it would be best to satisfy both criteria for a given species to achieve clump yield sustainability. Mature bamboo is intended mainly for house construction, furniture, animal cages, fencing materials, scaffolding, and for fisheries and agricultural uses. On the other hand, young bamboo culms are excellent materials for weaving, such as those needed for baskets and other handicrafts where flexibility is of primary importance. It should likewise be remembered that individual species of bamboos differ in clump structure and density and branching patterns such that specific harvesting techniques may be required to minimize wastes and maximize utilization. Chatuverdi (1988) pointed out that the age of individual culms is independent of clump age. Culms are tender during the first year, thus they are considered immature. They grow tough during the second year and are mature in the third year, when they acquire full density and strength. Beyond this age, the poles start changing color. Depending on the climatic conditions and the species, culms dry up in 4 to 12 years. They die earlier in dry localities and have a longer life in moist areas. 33

Chapter 3


Oftentimes, three-year old culms are already considered ready for harvesting. However, according to Hassan (1961 as cited by Virtucio, 2004), a three-year-old culm is still undergoing physiological activity in which both the rhizomes and culms continue to grow in weight and at the same time, in density. A study conducted by the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) on the physico-mechanical properties of one-to-five year old Philippine bamboo species (Bayog, Bolo, Buho, Giant Bamboo, Kawayan kiling and Kawayan tinik) showed that poles that are three (3) years of age have the highest relative density and lowest moisture content as well as shrinkage values (Uriarte et al., 1988 as cited by Espiloy, 1992). Modulus of elasticity in bending and maximum crushing strength parallel to the grain with both nodes and internodes were, likewise, at their highest relative density in the 3 year-old bamboos. It was also reported that in general, bending and compressive strengths increased with height and culm age. Thus, it was recommended that three-year old culms were the most appropriate for harvesting for purposes of using bamboo for furniture, building and general construction. On the other hand, Malab (2009) claimed that for sustainability and income generation consideration, three to four years were considered the appropriate age to harvest B. blumeana culms. PCARRD (1984) recommends that culm selection system should be adopted to sustain the yield/productivity of bamboo. This means that over-mature, defective culms should be discarded. Results of several studies indicated that the most suitable cutting/harvesting regime is to leave in the clump at least two to three fully grown one-to-two year old culms for every young and developing shoot. PCARRD (1984) further recommended that mature culms should be cut in the dry season when starch content is presumed to be at its minimum level and when no new shoot is emerging from the clump. The practice was believed to prevent powder-post beetles from attacking the harvested culms. Culms should be cut close to the ground to maximize utilization of quality portions. But for spiny species like Kawayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana), the generally accepted practice is to cut 2 to 3 m above the ground due to the dense thorns and branches at the basal portion. However, if the culms would be used for construction and furniture 34


making, it is suggested that the basal portion should be cut closer to the ground. The lower portion of the culm has thicker walls and greater strength. The stumps that are left behind must also be removed within six months to avoid infestation by insects and other culm-deteriorating agents. Thinning should also be done to make the clump more open, allowing better space for growth and development of new shoots. Tools like bolo, coping saw, and hand saw may be used during harvesting operation. It is also recommended that during the cutting operation, the pole should be kept in an upright position and should not lean to avoid saw-blade pinching. Support should also be provided when cutting along the length to prevent cut-off pieces and culm splitting. A study funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), entitled “Improving and maintaining productivity of bamboo for quality timber and shoots in Australia and the Philippines” (ACIAR Project No. HORT/2000/127) (Midmore, 2006) revealed that giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) to be used for construction purposes could be harvested at close to 2 years of age, whereas culms of B. blumeana should be at least 3 years old and ideally older at the time of harvest. Furthermore, for B. blumeana, the silvicultural practice that led to the oldest culms at harvest (4 to 5 years of age) resulted in the most suitable culms for construction or housing purposes. Clearing clumps of spiny branches from ground level to 2.0 m height facilitate shoot counting and harvest and would result in an additional 2.0 m of usable culms. The thicker walls of the basal section of culms make them suitable for the production of manufactured goods such as bamboo tiles. . According to Rivera (undated) and Virtucio (1996), there are two known methods or systems of harvesting as practiced in the Philippines, namely: i. Selective cutting - This is the most common and traditional practice where only the selected culms or poles of some specific age are harvested; and ii. Clear cut or blanket method - All poles/culms regardless of age are cut, leaving only the very young culms and shoots. However, this system is practiced in very limited areas and for specific purposes. This method produces smaller shoots during regeneration due to uncontrolled exposure and 35

Chapter 3


less protection from environment impact. A known method of application is in the harvesting of laak species (Bambusa sp. 2) which are used as banana props. Timing of Harvest Timing plays a crucial role when harvesting bamboo poles. There have been several studies to determine the best season to fell bamboos to reduce biological degradation as a result of fungal and insect attack. Some of the studies correlated the presence of starch and sugar at certain times of the year with the probability that harvested culms will be attacked by insect borers. Sugar content in almost all plants varies with season. Previously, it was presumed that the dry season was a period of dormancy wherein the bamboo plant conserved nutrients for the next season of growth. Due to litter fall and low moisture in the soil in the summer months, the starch and moisture content of the culms were believed to be lower and that the likelihood of attack by insect borers of the harvested bamboo poles was going to be low. Likewise, the possibility of subsequent splitting and cracking would also be reduced because of lower moisture levels of the culms. During the rainy season, starch and moisture content in the bamboo culms were presumed to be higher. During this period, new shoots emerge and felling operations could damage or destroy the young shoots. In general, harvesting bamboo during the rainy season has not been prescribed. A study on the starch content of Philippine bamboo reported by Garcia and Morrell (2008), found that in two separate sites, one in Mt. Makiling in Laguna and the other at the Kawayan Farm Experimental Site in the province of Rizal, the starch content of Bambusa vulgaris poles peaked between March to June. The incidence of powder post beetle in the bamboo poles was correspondingly high during this period. Although temperature was high at this time, rainfall of not less than 100 mm was also observed in both locations. If these findings are correct, then it suggests that the starch content of the pole is not necessarily the limiting factor to consider when is the best time to harvest bamboo. 36


Provided appropriate precautions are taken, especially in the post-harvest treatment of bamboo, harvesting can be done throughout the year to continuously supply the demand of the bamboo processing industry. Harvesting from September to February coincides with the period when bamboo poles contain the least amount of starch during the year; thus, bamboo poles harvested at this time would be least susceptible to the attacks of powder-post beetles. On the other hand, during this season, the bamboo pole is susceptible to fungal damage because of high moisture content; thus, application of fungicide is recommended. In the summer months of March to April, bamboo is highly at risk to the attacks of powder-post beetles; thus, application of insecticide is recommended. During the rainy months from May to August, harvesting should be limited or lessened due to possible damage to sprouting shoots, the difficulty of accessing plantations and transporting the poles, and the need for dry storage area for newly harvested poles. Figure 3.1 provides guideposts and precautions vis a vis year-round harvesting of bamboo and concomitant post-harvest handling of the bamboo poles to minimize insect infestation and microbial damage to the poles. These recommendations cannot be generalized, however, as Malab (personal communication) observed that in Ilocos Norte, the bamboo would shed off leaves during the summer, which he believed is the reason for the low starch content (no proof given) of the poles harvested. According to Malab, the low starch content was evident as the poles were less prone to insect attack. But Malab recommends that similar tests on the year-round variation of starch content of bamboo be conducted in other locations in the country, including the Ilocos provinces. It should be noted that the southern Tagalog provinces of Rizal and Laguna and the Ilocos provinces are located in areas with different climatic types. Thus, until the tests on year-round variation of bamboo poles in different geographic locations are completed, we recommend that bamboo poles harvested during the dry months be subjected to insecticide treatment to prevent powder post beetle attack. There are other advantages in harvesting during the dry months such as the avoidance of damage to new shoots which emerge during the rainy season and the more facile transport of the poles in dry weather.

37

Chapter 3


Figure 3.1. Recommended timing of harvesting bamboo and corresponding post-harvest treatment to minimize/prevent decay in harvested bamboo poles.

In summary, the following factors are to be considered in harvesting bamboo:  Culm age. Generally, most of the commercial bamboo species are harvested when they are between 3-5 years old, reckoned from the time of shoot regeneration.  Cutting time/season. Dry season is the best time to harvest bamboo when the culms are presumed to contain the least amount of starch, making them less susceptible to powder post beetle attack. No shoot emergence occurs during this time, hence shoot damage is avoided.  Cutting height. Cutting of poles/culms should be done as close as possible to the ground, preferably after the first node for maximum pole utilization and growing space management.  Distribution. Culms to be harvested should be uniformly distributed within the clump periphery. This leaves an even spacing among the residual culms and eventually for the new shoots that will emerge. 38


Harvesting is both a beginning and an end stage. It is the end for mature culms but a starting stage for shoots. Pole production is affected by harvesting intensities, application of thinning, and the cutting cycle employed. More extensive studies on the relationship between harvesting and regeneration must be conducted. Thus far, completed research studies prescribe certain rules and guidelines on how to harvest bamboo poles with the end in view of insuring sustainability and avoiding the rapid depletion of the bamboo resource. Transporting Bamboo Poles Transporting bamboo poles intended for engineered-bamboo products is a crucial step to insure that poles for engineered-bamboo processing reach the plant free of defects such as scratch marks, dents, and other flaws that arise when the pole is handled carelessly during transport. The transport of bamboo poles can be divided into minor and major transport. In minor pole transport, the pole is brought from the site of harvest to the road side for pick up of the poles by motorized vehicles such as trucks, jeeps or even motorcycles/tricycles. The traditional practice is to pull several bamboo poles with an animal, possibly a carabao, or to carry them on the shoulders of the bamboo pole gatherer (Figure 3.2). Pulling the poles in a way that causes them to constantly rub against ground surface must be avoided at all cost. In the Alfonso bamboo farm in Pililla, Rizal, an improvised cart that can be attached to a tractor is used for minor bamboo pole transport (Figure 3.3). The poles are elevated above the ground, avoiding damages on the bamboo pole surface. When the harvesting site is remote but a river system is nearby, the poles are transported through the river by allowing them to float downstream with the moving water. Bamboo poles are bundled together by making a hole at one end of each pole, which should be big enough to allow insertion of a cross pole that will hold several other poles parallel to each other. Lashing is done at the other end so that the poles will float like a single raft down the water. Transporting poles down rough waters can be very dangerous so the workers must have a lot of experience in tugging together the bamboo raft through the waters to avoid damaging the poles and to prevent injuries to themselves. 39

Chapter 3


Figure 3.2.

Gatherers carry bamboo poles on their shoulders, a common practice of carrying poles on steep terrain or when gatherers do not own carabaos to pull newly-cut poles.

Figure 3.3. Improvised trolleycart for transporting bamboo poles in Pililla, Rizal.

40


Major transport, on the other hand, pertains to activities in bringing the bamboo poles from the road landing to the market or the end-users. Hauling is done with the use of long trucks that are manually loaded with the bamboo poles, usually one pole at a time (Figure 3.4). To minimize friction among the poles during the road trip, the poles must be bundled together by lashing them with ropes at several points along their length.

Figure 3.4. Trucks are used as a major transport system for hauling bamboo poles from the loading sites to the processing plants.

Post-harvest Treatment After harvesting, bamboo poles are ideally subjected to prophylactic treatment to prevent the development of molds or insect infestation. This helps retain the natural color and appearance of bamboo poles and lengthens use and service life of the poles. Local folks have developed several ways of treatment, referred to as traditional or non-chemical preservation methods, to make the bamboo less susceptible to decay-causing organisms. These methods include soaking, curing, smoking and white washing and these are briefly described below:

41

Chapter 3


a) Soaking is a non-chemical method where freshly-cut culms are soaked or submerged in running fresh or brackish water or in sea water for 80 days and then air-dried. This method is said to improve resistance against powder-post beetle since the starch content is reduced during the soaking period. A study by Padillo and Razal (1995), however, showed that most if not all of the starch content in Kawayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana) and Kawayan kiling (Bambusa vulgaris) poles are already removed within days from the start of soaking. Soaking does not increase the bamboo poles’ resistance to termites and fungi. b) Curing is a method where bamboo poles with intact leaves and branches are left standing on end for a period of time which leads to tissue respiration and water transpiration through the leaves to reduce the amount of starch in the culms. c) In the smoking process, culms are cut into desired lengths, stringed and placed above a kitchen stove (usually wood-fired) until the culm’s outer skin turns black. d) The painting of round or split bamboo with lime to prevent entry of moisture is called white washing method.

42

4


Chemical properties Just like the true wood that is characteristic of the stems and branches of trees belonging to the conifers as well as the dicotyledonous trees of the angiosperms, the predominant chemical components that make up the cell wall material in bamboo poles are cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The latter is largely responsible for the “woody” nature of the bamboo culm wall tissue. Without lignin, the stems of trees and for that matter, bamboo poles, will not be able to stand upright and to withstand the wind as it blows. To many practitioners, bamboo being wood-like in nature means that it is a natural solid, rigid and organic material that can be easily worked with using common wood carpentry tools. At the same time, it also means that products made with bamboo will expand or shrink in size as the moisture content changes, or develop decay when wet, or burn when ignited or set on fire. The behavior of bamboo when exposed to moisture, or to undergo decay or to burn up, can be explained by the chemical constituents present in the bamboo stem. Table 4.1 shows the proximate chemical analysis of the stem of selected erect Philippine bamboo species. Slight differences have been noted in the chemical composition along the length of the stem (designated as the butt or basal, middle, and top portions) as well as the outer and inner culm layers. Also, the chemical composition of the node has been found to differ from that of the internode sections. However, none of these differences come close to the differences observed in wood, particularly between the percent extractable material in the heartwood and the sapwood of most tree species.

Chapter 4


Table 4.1. Chemical composition of selected Philippine bamboo species. Bamboo species Kawayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana) Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) Bolo (Gigantochloa levis) Buho (Schizostachyum lumampao) Bayog (Bambusa merrilliana) Kawayan kiling (Bambusa vulgaris)

Ash (%)

BenzeneEthanol extractable (%)

Hot water extractable (%)

Lignin (%)

Holocellulose (%)

4.8

3.1

4.3

20.4

64.6

4.1

5.4

3.8

25.5

61.3

5.3

3.2

4.4

24.2

62.9

9.7

5.0

4.3

20.4

60.6

4.2

3.6

3.4

24.0

64.6

2.4

4.1

5.1

26.9

66.5

Source: Semana et al. 1967. The ash content of the selected erect bamboo poles, on average, is higher than most commercial species of Philippine woods. Among the bamboo species, buho has the highest ash content, which suggests the abundant presence of silica within the culm wall tissue. High silica content makes knives and saws used for cutting the bamboo poles dull more easily, which in turn means more downtime because of the frequent blade or saw resharpening needed. Comparing the data obtained by Semana et al. (as shown in Table 4.1) with those of Li (2004) who studied the chemical properties of moso (Phyllostachys pubescens), it can be concluded that the ash content of Philippine erect bamboo species is 1.5 to 5 times higher than the temperate bamboo. It should be recalled that Phyllostachys sp. or moso is the monopodial species of bamboo commercially used by China for the processing of engineered-bamboo products. Thus, in terms of maintenance operations of processing equipment, the Philippine bamboo species as a group, will require more upkeep of the tools used than the Chinese species.

44

Mainstreaming Engineered-bamboo Products for Construction and Furniture

The skin of bamboo culms, which is impermeable to most liquids, contains the highest concentration of ash within the culm wall (Li, ibid; Tewari, 1992 as cited by Ahmad, 2000).The silica that is a component of ash, including the waxy cutin present in the outer skin layer pose a problem in processing engineered-bamboo products. These components impede moisture loss from the culm wall and interfere with glue penetration and adhesive bonding between bamboo laminate that are glued together to produce wider and thicker planks. This limitation of bamboo is addressed during processing by removing the outer skin, generally by scraping the bamboo pole surface off with a sharp knife such as a bolo or with high-speed sanding machines. This processing step, albeit necessary for faster pole drying and more effective bonding between glued bamboo layers, adds to the per unit cost of making engineered products. Except for giant bamboo and buho, all Philippine bamboo species (Semana et al., 1967) have lower organic soluble extractives content than 3-year old Phyllostachys poles (Li, 2004). But five-year old Phyllostachys poles contain more extractives than any of the Philippine bamboo species (whose ages were not defined in the study). A high extractive content would render the bamboo pole more resistant to decaycausing organisms, and available data seem to suggest that Phyllostachys has an advantage over Philippine bamboo on this aspect. A more detailed study on variously-aged Philippine bamboo poles is needed to determine the change in extractive content within the poles of Philippine bamboo species that are five years or older. With respect to lignin, the data obtained by Semana et al., (ibid) indicate almost similar amounts present in bamboo poles as the hardwood species. Among the erect species of bamboo in the Philippines, giant bamboo, bolo, bayog and Kawayan kiling have lignin content higher than moso; however, in Kawayan tinik and buho, the lignin content is lower. For pulp and paper making, the lower content of lignin in the latter two species presents a distinct advantage. In engineered-bamboo products, the lower lignin content may signify less water and decay resistance of the derived products. On the other hand, bamboo species having high lignin content could result in products that are more structurally rigid (Li, ibid). 45

Chapter 4


The holocellulose content of all the species listed in Table 4.1 is lower than 1 to 5 year old moso (Li, ibid.) poles. In the latter, Li (ibid.) reported that the holocellulose content was highest at the top portions of the pole. The lower holocellulose content of Philippine bamboo species indicates that lower pulp yield would be expected in pulping them; in engineered-bamboo construction, the lower holocellulose content may eventually affect the products’ sturdiness and long-term durability although deeper studies are needed to confirm this relationship. Aggravating the low holocellulose content is the presence of water-soluble carbohydrates, such as starch, that accumulate as stored food within the parenchyma cells in the stems of bamboo. Starch attracts insects, particularly the powder-post (Ambrosia) beetles that initially feed on the starch but eventually destroy the other wood components, leaving unsightly holes that are visible to the naked eye. The powder generated accumulates as dust or dirt-like materials on the surface of the product, and in severe cases, as floor droppings. The powdery substances that emerge from the bamboo poles are actually the fecal materials expelled by the beetles that had eaten away the chemical compounds within the bamboo stem’s cell walls. The determination of starch, which is the chemical constituent that makes bamboo susceptible to beetle attack, is not routinely done for bamboo poles. High solubility in hot water is usually taken as a sufficient index of the presence of starch in the plant cell walls in bamboo. The use of poles with high starch content is strongly discouraged in engineered-bamboo manufacture because of the negative consequences on the visual and aesthetic quality, and on the strength of the endproducts made with beetle-infested bamboo poles. It has been presumed in the Philippines that starch content of bamboo poles is highest during the rainy season. The apparent ease with which bamboo poles that are cut and harvested during rainy periods are infested by both fungi and insects has been largely attributed to starch, which is purportedly at its peak at this time of the year. A recent study by Garcia and Morrell (2008) appears to debunk this widelyheld view. They found that the seasonal variation in the occurrence of powder-post beetle (Dinoderus minutus) in bamboo growing in two sites in the Philippines was correlated with the starch content as well as temperature, which were all found to be 46


highest during the months of February to June. The period starting February to midMay is the dry season in the Philippines. With abundant sunshine during this time of the year, there is copious production of photosynthates in the leaves of bamboo. These materials are eventually transported to the stems that are capable of storing the surplus “food” from photosynthesis as starch. As mentioned earlier, starch serves as fodder to powder-post beetles that are able to find their way to starch-rich poles, which the insects eventually inhabit and destroy. However, Malab (personal communication) does not agree that the findings in the provinces of Rizal and Laguna where the study of Garcia and Morrell (2008) was done hold true in other regions in the Philippines, particularly in the Ilocos provinces where he has done extensive studies on bamboo. Malab contends that bamboo in the Ilocos provinces shed off their leaves during the dry months. Thus, Malab argues that it is unlikely that the bamboo will still be able to actively produce excess food materials by photosynthesis, and then transport the products through the stems, which would later accumulate excess food in the form of starch in their storage tissues. While a repeat of the study undertaken by Garcia and Morrell (2008) in other parts of the country is in order to resolve these conflicting observations, it has been suggested (http://bamboo-identification.co.uk/html/leaves.html) that the stem itself, which is green, can perform photosynthesis. If such is the case, then the foliage that shed off may be of limited significance in the summer as their photosynthetic functions can be taken over by the stems. Structure and anatomical properties Unlike wood, bamboo poles are segmented. The hard portion that divides the pole into segments is known as the node, which is very short, while the space or distance in between nodes which is many times longer than the node, is referred to as the internode. In growing bamboo plants, the nodes are the portions where branches emerge from the pole, which partly explains the hardiness of the nodes. Leaf sheaths that protect the emerging culms also emanate from the nodes. In many species of bamboo, the nodes also bear root hairs and other appendages that perform defined physiological functions in the plant and that are useful for identification purposes. The internode, on the other hand, has a hollow central portion that is not continuous 47

Chapter 4


along the entire length of the pole, owing to the diaphragm or septum that acts as if it is a barrier to the free flow of liquid along the central portion of the pole. When the culm is halved by splitting, the diaphragms or septa appear as ladder-like, solid barriers on the inside of the bamboo pole. Splitting the culm further along its length results in slats, the underside of which contain broken, irregularly-shaped fragments of the septum protruding from the inner surface of each node. These protrusions are skillfully removed by workers using a sharp bolo without causing the fibers attached to the node to be pulled to avoid damaging the remainder of the slat. The protruding nodes make the slats uneven on the surface, which makes it difficult for adjacent bamboo laminate to make close contact with one another during the assembly of the bamboo into laminated products. The bump on the nodes is a regular feature of bamboo poles, since the nodes have a slightly bigger diameter than the internode. It has also been observed that just below each node, a small depression occurs at the intersection of the node and the internode. These irregularities result in unevenness that is difficult if not impractical and costly to remove by planing. This occurs partly when the feeder comes in contact with the nodes, pushing the slat down momentarily which results in the cutterhead knife not being able to chip away from the portion of the slat being planed at that instance. The problem with planing slats that contain overly protruding nodes can be addressed by sawing on a table saw to remove the node. This is done by feeding the slat with its inner surface towards the saw and its narrow edge down rather than its wide surface flat on the sawtable, such that a cut made is parallel to the slats wider surface. The advantage of having flatter slats prior to being fed to the surface planer is offset by the cost of doing an additional cutting operation that is also relatively more dangerous than normal ripping action done on the table saw, and the loss of valuable material from the bamboo, thereby producing much thinner slats. Apart from the unevenness that arises from the presence of nodes, there is also a problem associated with the penetrability of the nodes with adhesives. This was shown in the doctoral study of Ahmad (2000) who observed that effective penetration of both phenol formaldehyde (PF) and polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) into nodes was significantly less than the effective penetration in the internodes. In 48


laminated e-bamboo, this would result in adhesives that are not strongly anchored on the bamboo, and therefore, weaker bonds between layers of the finished product. With regard to the anatomical construction of bamboo, Liese (1992) reported that the culm wall comprises of 60% parenchyma, 40% fibers, and 10% conducting tissue (vessel and sieve tubes), and that growth conditions and ageing do not have significant influence on the pole’s composition and structure (Liese, 1992). Parenchyma cells function primarily for storage, while fibers and conducting tissues are responsible for water and material transport as well as for mechanical support of the stem. Some differences have been observed between leptomorph species (e.g., Arundinaria and Phyllostachys) and pachymorph species (e.g., Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, and Gigantochloa) in terms of the type of vascular bundles present and also with the latter group of species generally having less fiber content than the pachymorphs (Liese, ibid.). Vascular bundles pertain to the vein-like tissue in bamboo stems, which combine both the phloem and xylem tissues that conduct food and water, respectively along the culm length. (In trees, the phloem is distinctly separated from the xylem). The differences in anatomical make-up of bamboo poles from different species result in striking differences in density, strength, bending behavior, splitting, and shrinkage (Liese, ibid). Within the culm, Liese (1992) maintains that differences exist in the distribution of cells along the culm length and within the culm wall. Along the culm length, the percentage of fibers is higher in the upper part than in the lower portions. Liese states that, “Whereas the lower culm contains in its inner part mainly parenchyma with fewer, large vascular bundles, this tissue type is reduced along the culm length. The upper part consists mainly of many smaller vascular bundles with a high portion of fibers, providing the superior slenderness.” He asserts that the lower shrinkage in the top portion in comparison with the base is due to the high proportion of parenchyma cells in the latter. Liese was concerned that the upper portion is generally wasted given its superior dimensional stability compared to the lower culm portions. Processing considerations for engineered-bamboo products have in fact, resulted in practices that tend to discard the upper portions of the pole. The top portion has relatively thinner culm walls and a smaller radius of curvature. The top 49

Chapter 4


culm walls’ thinness combined with the largely cylindrical form contributes to the difficulty in obtaining from the top of bamboo poles, flat slats needed for lamination. Across the culm wall, the percentage of fibers is higher in the outer third of the wall. This portion also contains the highest density of vascular bundles, although the vascular bundles just beneath the skin tend to be smaller in size. Vascular bundles are sparse towards the inside portion of the culm wall, and are many times bigger than the vascular bundles near the skin. The dense vascular bundles and higher fiber content of the outer portion of the culm wall contributes to the density and consequently, higher strength of the outer culm wall. Liese (1994) claimed that “the number of vascular bundles per mm2 is closely related to E-modulus, the fiber length to elastic bending stress.” In laminated e-bamboo products, the inner culm walls that contain more parenchyma cells and bigger but less vascular bundles will be the origin of “wood” failure when subjected to a variety of mechanical property tests. Physico-mechanical properties This section deals with the physical properties, such as relative density and shrinkage of Philippine bamboo species, as well as their strength properties. Table 4.2 summarizes the physical properties of bayog, bolo, buho, giant bamboo, Kawayankiling and Kawayan-tinik that are the erect species of bamboo in the Philippines with potential for use in engineered-bamboo products. The relative density (or specific gravity) values shown in the table are useful for comparing among the bamboo species given, but not between bamboo and wood because Espiloy (1996) did not indicate the moisture content condition of the bamboo poles at the time of determination the property. What is evident is that along the length of the pole, the middle portion is the densest portion, while the top and butt portions are almost similar in density for most species. Kawayan tinik is the heaviest among the erect species, followed by Kawayan kiling and bayog, while the lightest is buho. Giant bamboo and bolo have relative densities that are almost 10% lower than the specific gravity of Kawayan tinik.

50


In laminating wood products, for example in plywood where construction requires adjacent laminae to be perpendicular with each other in their grain directions for greater product dimensional stability, combining wood with different relative densities has not been traced as a big problem in the manufacture of these products. The tendency of say, the top and bottom layer to shrink in the transverse direction is negated or offset by the core layer. This stems from the fact that the core layer is oriented such that its longitudinal direction – the direction where movement of wood is negligible – constrains the top of bottom from shrinking as much in the transverse direction. However, in more modern wood products such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL), the forerunner of engineered-bamboo construction, where laminae are arranged with parallel grain directions, combining wood with different relative densities, and hence, different shrinkage properties, can lead to potential problems such as twisting or cupping in the final product. These problems arise from different properties, mostly differential shrinkage and strength variability among the laminae which are dependent on the material’s density. This problem was observed with Southern pine and Douglas fir LVL constructed from billets taken from different log sections, particularly log core portions that contain juvenile wood, in combination with mature wood (Kretschmann et al., 1993). A reduction in bending and tensile strengths could be observed especially when up to 57% of low-grade, low specific gravity core veneer was used in LVL construction in combination with mature wood (Kretschmann, ibid.). Thus, it can be surmised that combining bamboo slats from different species that have highly disparate relative densities will result in products that are dimensionally unstable and mechanically weaker. The technique that should be used for construction of engineered-bamboo products is to use the same bamboo species in laminated bamboo planks, and where possible, to even combine slats derived from similar locations within the bamboo pole. Li (2004) conducted a detailed study on the variation of specific gravity, not only along the culm length but also across the culm wall, of bamboo (Phyllostachys sp.) poles aged one, three and five years old. The study found that 3-5 year old bamboo poles do not differ much in specific gravity. However, there is pronounced difference between 1-year and 3-year old culms. Specific gravity of bamboo pole 51

Chapter 4


samples taken from different height levels were not significantly different, either, although samples taken from the top portion almost consistently provided high specific gravity regardless of age and culm wall layer. The outer layer is the densest portion of the culm wall, ranging from 0.81 to 0.84 for 3- and 5-year old bamboo culms. Also, in the three- and five-year old culms, the specific gravity values for the middle layer ranged from 0.60 to 0.66, while the inner wall specific gravity was between 0.55-0.59. Since the specific gravity values in Li’s study were disaggregated to differentiate across layers, it would be difficult to directly compare results with the specific gravity of selected Philippine bamboos as given in Table 4.2. Suffice it to say that most Philippine erect bamboo species, with the exception of buho, have comparable specific gravity with Phyllostachys sp. which is the primary species used for engineered-bamboo in China. Table 4.2. Specific gravity (relative density) and shrinkage values of selected erect bamboo species.* Bamboo species

Relative Density Butt

Middle

Radial Shrinkage** (%)

Top

Butt

Middle

Top

Tangential Shrinkage*** (%) Butt Middle Top

K. tinik

0.650

0.694

0.644

13.7

11.0

12.0

9.9

6.8

8.5

G. Bamboo

0.537

0.612

0.547

15.3

10.5

14.7

7.3

5.4

7.5

Bolo

0.539

0.610

0.541

11.3

8.9

11.0

6.5

5.2

6.6

Buho

0.458

0.531

0.461

19.2

16.6

18.7

5.7

5.3

5.9

Bayog

0.574

0.639

0.582

13.3

12.1

12.0

8.6

8.4

8.1

K. kiling

0.625

0.662

0.638

15.2

12.2

14.1

12.6

10.6

11.9

*Espiloy, Z.B. 1996. **Shrinkage across the culm wall thickness, from green to ovendry condition. ***Shrinkage along the culm circumference, from green to ovendry condition.

With regard to shrinkage, the species that shrinks the most across the culm wall is buho, followed by Kawayan kiling and giant bamboo. Bolo is the most dimensionally stable radially, followed by Kawayan tinik. Along the pole circumference, shrinkage is greatest for Kawayan kiling followed by Kawayan tinik. Bolo is second to buho in having the least shrinkage along the circumferential direction. The data also show that in all species of erect Philippine bamboo, 52


shrinkage along the circumferential direction is less than that across the culm wall. Kawayan kiling and kawayan tinik have an advantage over all other species in that they have the least variability in terms of differences in shrinkage between the radial and tangential directions. In giant bamboo, shrinkage in the radial direction is almost double that of its shrinkage in the tangential direction. Least desirable in this respect is buho because the radial shrinkage is not only very high, but also because the radial shrinkage is almost 3 times the tendency to shrink in the tangential direction, which could mean that the buho slats will be highly stressed in any construction. The influence of shrinkage on the stability of engineered-bamboo products can be gleaned from the behavior of planks made with Kawayan tinik using two construction options (See Figure 4.1). One option involves gluing the slats edge-toedge at first, and then the resulting intermediate boards are laid one on top of the other to produce a board or plank with more than one layer to make up the desired board thickness. Another manner in which engineered products from bamboo can be made is when slats having the same widths are glued together on their wider surfaces (tangential side) such that the combined radial side will be the one exposed on the final product’s wider surface. Construction Option 1: Slats are first glued edgeto-edge, and then laid on top of one another. The resulting plank’s wider surface is the tangential (i.e., tangent to the circumference of the bamboo pole) surface of the individual slats. Construction Option 2: The plank is formed by gluing slats together on their wider surface. The resulting plank’s wider surface is the side of the slat that is exposed when the culm wall is at right angle with respect to the circumference of the bamboo pole.

Figure 4.1. Options in constructing/assembly of bamboo planks from slats.

Going back to bamboo planks made of Kawayan tinik, for applications that require greater dimensional stability across the exposed wide surface than the material’s 53

Chapter 4


thickness, boards that are assembled using option 1 will provide more advantages than those made using option 2. As can be seen from Figure 4.1, the wide surface obtained using construction option 1 is the aggregate width of the tangential side of the slats. Since Kawayan tinik shrinks more in the “radial” than the tangential direction, then planks assembled in the manner shown under option 1, will have less tendency to shrink across its width. On the other hand, planks obtained using construction option 2 will be less prone to shrink in thickness than across its width. Thus, for applications where an even surface is required, planks made using construction option 2 will be more desirable. The mechanical properties of several bamboo species have likewise been studied by Espiloy (1992), and for erect species being considered for e-bamboo production, the results of tests to determine various properties are shown in Table 4.3. . Table 4.3. Mechanical properties of erect, Philippine bamboo species. Property/ G. K. tinik Bolo Section Bamboo Maximum Crushing Strength (MPa) Node 36.1 33.3 37.7 Butt 38.1 38.2 41.9 Middle 51.0 45.2 44.3 Top Internode 40.3 34.4 38.7 Butt 50.6 37.3 41.7 Middle 42.6 44.6 43.4 Top Fiber stress at proportional limit (MPa) 59.0 13.0 17.6 Butt 20.2 9.8 14.9 Middle 16.2 18.6 18.6 Top Modulus of rupture (MPa) 101.0 30.4 25.4 Butt 37.1 24.8 19.6 Middle 24.4 36 26.0 Top Modulus of elasticity (GPa) 10.6 2.1 8.9 Butt 11.6 2.9 10.4 Middle 7.8 5.6 11.1 Top

54

Buho

Bayog

K. Kiling

23.5 26.8 37.6

37.2 43.4 48.9

34.8 34.4 38.6

24.0 28.0 40.8

36.6 41.0 46.9

34.6 34.1 39.8

9.4 11.0 40.9

33.2 28.6 38.5

14.2 27.7 31.6

15.1 17.1 61.0

57.0 48.1 60.4

30.8 45.3 56.0

2.5 4.8 11.0

4.3 5.7 8.0

7.9 7.8 10.0


Critical to the utilization and service life of bamboo planks are the mechanical properties derived from bending tests – namely the fiber stress at proportional limit (FSPL), modulus of rupture (MOR), and the modulus of elasticity (MOE). Most bamboo planks are used under conditions where load is applied perpendicular to the length of the plank, such as floor tile, tabletops, and as cabinet shelves. Given such condition and load, the plank will tend to sag or bend, or worse, break or fail when the maximum bending stress is exceeded. Among the erect Philippine bamboo species, Kawayan tinik has the most desirable FSPL and MOR properties, especially the sections obtained from the butt, and to some extent, the middle portion where the MOE is greater than that of the butt. Compared with Phyllostachys sp., none of the Philippine species surpassed the results of the tests for the bending properties of the former, and surprisingly, even in comparison with mechanical test results obtained from one-year old culm. The apparent anomaly can be explained by procedural differences and the differences in sensitivity of testing equipment used (Instron was used for the Phyllostachys experiments). In Li’s experiments, smaller-sized samples where different percentages of the layers were removed, either from the outer surface or the inner portion, were employed. Finally, it is also instructive to compare the Philippine bamboo with Douglas fir, one of the softwood species used for laminated wood products. According to the Wood Handbook (1999), the MOR of green Douglas fir ranges from 46.9 to 53.1 MPa, while the MOE values are from 8.0 to 10.8 GPa. It can be seen from Table 4.3 that test results for MOR of Kawayan tinik, butt portion, and test values for samples taken from top portion of Buho, Bayog and Kawayan kiling exceed those of Douglas fir. The trend in MOE values is almost the same, and that we can even add the middle portion of Kawayan tinik and the top portion of Bolo that have MOE test results higher than Douglas fir. Thus, the use of selected Philippine bamboo species for engineered products, from the standpoint of material strength, particularly in bending, can be justified.

55

Chapter 4


Other characteristics of bamboo that influence its suitability for engineeredbamboo products Because the bamboo pole is hollow in the middle which is very much unlike wood, this renders to the pole other features or characteristics that influence its suitability for use in engineered-bamboo products. These features are listed in Table 4.4, along with the corresponding values for selected erect Philippine bamboo species. Length, straightness of pole, culm diameter and taper. These properties are interrelated, so the discussion on how they influence the suitability of bamboo for engineered products, particularly finished products that undergo lamination of longitudinally-arranged slats to form planks that are intended for wall panels, flooring, and cabinet work. Common sense dictates that the longer the bamboo pole, the more desirable it is a material for the manufacture of engineered-products. A can be seen in Table 4.4, the species that produce the longest poles are giant bamboo, Kawayan tinik, and Kawayan kiling. Using these species in establishing bamboo plantations intended for engineered-bamboo products can give good yield to farmers if pole length were a sole plantation objective. In reality, however, length matters little if the pole is not straight along its entire length. Bamboo poles from unmanaged stands tend to have bent or crooked stems, especially at the lower butt portion. These defects in the form of bamboo reduce the volume of usable pole that can be processed into engineered products. Taper along the length of the pole, manifested as gradual reduction in diameter from the bottom to the top portion, affects the volume of recoverable slats from the pole. When splitting or cutting a pole into slats with parallel sides, it is the diameter of the smaller end which dictates how many slats can be recovered. At the bigger end, large portions of the pole are retained or not used up when slat making is done by sawing. Or, if slats are made with the use of a splitter, rework is done by removing excess material so that the width of the slats at its bottom end will be the same as that at the top. Again, this implies additional operational cost and material loss. It also highlights the importance of designing and fabricating more appropriate machines to optimize utilization of the bamboo poles for engineered products. 56


Among the different species listed in Table 4.4, giant bamboo, bolo and Kawayan tinik produce poles with the biggest diameter. This means that more slats can be obtained from them per unit length of each pole. However, in terms of taper, both bolo and giant bamboo drastically change diameter more than Kawayan tinik. This can be seen from the data in Table 4.4 pertaining to average internode diameter at the butt, middle and top portion of the pole. Assuming only the butt and middle portions are used for engineered-bamboo products construction, the data suggest that at least 30% and 18% of material is lost in bolo and giant bamboo, respectively, because of taper alone, compared with 7% for Kawayan tinik. Internode length and number of internodes per culm Among the different erect bamboo species, buho has the longest average internode length, or put in another way, it has least number of nodes per culm length at 1.9 internodes for every meter of the pole. Second to buho is giant bamboo, with 2.3 nodes for every meter. Kawayan tinik, on average, has 3 internodes per m, while the corresponding number of internodes per meter of pole for bolo is 3.2. Given the difficulties associated with internodes as mentioned in the previous section, bolo and giant bamboo appear more desirable than both Kawayan tinik and bolo. Of course, buho has other limitations such as its relatively thin culm wall and low pole strength properties, so we do not recommend its use for engineered-bamboo products for the type of construction work earlier mentioned. Culm wall thickness Having a thick culm wall is also a desirable property for bamboo species that will be used for engineered-bamboo production. A thick culm wall means that the species will afford more materials that can be assembled for the product. Leading the different species of bamboo on this aspect are giant bamboo and bayog, followed by Kawayan tinik and bolo. It should be noted from Table 4.4 that culm wall thickness varies along the length of the pole. Perhaps, even more important than just the thickness of the wall is how the culm wall changes in thickness along the length. The data for this property as shown in Table 4.4 indicate that culm wall thickness 57

Chapter 4


generally decreases from the bottom to the top of the pole. Thus, the final thickness of the slat will depend on how thick or thin is the portion towards the top end. The implication is that in the preparation of slats prior to assembly and gluing, the slats will have to be surfaced so that both ends will have the same thickness. Surfacing will remove more materials from the thicker bottom portion than from the top. Table 4.4. Common structural features of erect Philippine bamboo. K. tinik

Giant bamboo

Bolo

Buho

Bayog

K. kiling

Kayali

Laak

14.6

21.4

10.8

8.6

9.7

14.6

16

15

44

49

35

16

38

51

46

46

Average internode length (cm) Butt 20.7 30.8 Middle 41.2 58.7 Top 31.1 39.2

20.0 45.5 26.5

35.4 61.2 58.3

18.2 31.0 26.6

19.1 34.4 32.5

38.1 48.6 44

37.0 46.6 38.6

9.4 6.9 2.6

6.0 5.9 3.8

6.4 5.7 4.0

8.9 8.3 6.0

7.88 7.74 6.08

7.47 7.77 6.40

2.2 0.9 0.4

0.8 0.4 0.3

2.7 1.8 1.1

1.7 0.8 0.5

1.25 0.75 0.55

1.45 0.8 0.55

Property Avg. culm height (m) Avg. no. internodes per culm

Average internode diameter (cm) Butt Middle Top

9.0 8.4 5.3

16.0 13.1 5.8

Average culm wall thickness (cm) Butt Middle Top

2.4 1.1 0.6

2.7 1.1 0.7

Source: Espiloy et al. 2002.

Bolo and giant bamboo change more in culm wall thickness than bayog and Kawayan tinik. Assuming that only the butt and middle portion are used for engineered-bamboo construction, at least 59% of materials will be lost from both bolo and Giant bamboo, while 54% material will be removed from Kawayan tinik and 33% from Bayog to make the slat uniform in thickness along its entire length. The implication to cost is great, especially since bamboo is procured and bought according to length.

58


Absence of defects on the surface of the bamboo pole Engineered-bamboo products that will be used for applications where aesthetic appearance is a critical consideration, such as for wall panels and table tops, will require defect- or blemish-free materials. Scratch marks, stains, discolorations, holes and other flaws on the bamboo make the end-product not only unsightly, but is also suggestive that the material has been attacked by decay-causing organisms, hence deteriorated and consequently mechanically weak. The other suggestion is that the bamboo had been handled sloppily either during harvest, transport, processing and even up to assembly. These defects are grounds for rejection of engineered-bamboo products, especially in the very demanding export market. Thus, it is important that bamboo poles to be used for engineered-bamboo products should be prevented from growing under conditions that will expose them to insects and fungi. They should also be free from being harmed by mechanical injury such as being pierced with sharp objects, or even scratched on the surface through frictional contacts, such as by pulling bamboo poles by humans or animals during transport. A dense clump with so many thorns or spines at the base will most likely result in injury to the growing bamboo shoots, so management will be helpful in this regard especially if the bamboo plantation was established to provide raw materials needed for engineeredbamboo production. Age of bamboo The age of a bamboo pole is not a property in itself, but by imposing the requirement that only “mature” bamboo poles are used for engineered-bamboo products, the manufacturer takes care of the basic properties that are impractical to measure when poles are cut and harvested in the field. Most of the basic properties (chemical, anatomical, physical and mechanical) of bamboo improve with age, but up to a certain extent only as shown in Table 4.5. Chemically, three-year old culms have higher extractive, lignin, and holocellulose content than one-year poles. Physicomechanical properties such as the specific gravity and the bending and compressive strength in both the longitudinal and tangential directions are highest in five-year old culms compared with one-year old and three-year old culms. Hence, more mature (but not over-mature) poles are desired for making engineered-bamboo products 59

Chapter 4


because they are expected to provide greater insect resistance, longer service life, improved strength and other characteristics that get better with the use of older raw materials.

Table 4.5. Changes in selected properties of bamboo poles with age (Source: Li, 2004). Age of bamboo pole Property*

One year 2.86 22.11

Three Years 4.38 23.95

Five Years 6.81 22.97

% Holocellulose content Specific gravity Bending strength

70.84 0.53

72.69 0.71

72.50 0.78

Modulus of rupture (MPa) Modulus of elasticity (GPa) Longitudinal compressive strength (MPa)

119.3 8.68 50.9

151.7 10.12 83.9

184.8 13.41 86.6

% Alcohol-benzene solubles % Lignin content

Tangential compressive strength (MPa) 16.0 29.8 33.6 *The property values listed were for the middle portion of the Phyllostachys pubescens bamboo pole. Almost similar trends in properties were noted for the butt and top portions

60

5

Manufacturing Technologies for Engineered-Bamboo Products

This chapter covers selected processing steps involved in converting bamboo poles to engineered-bamboo products. A simplified process flow is shown in Figure 5.1 below (Villanueva et al., 2011).

Figure 5.1 General process flow for making engineered products from bamboo poles.

Material preparation technologies Following post-harvest treatment is material preparation where the bamboo culms are cut, washed, dried, straightened, sorted, bundled and fumigated. Cutting refers to the preparation of bamboo poles to the desired length and includes removal of branch stubs left attached to the nodes. To remove dirt, the culms are washed with water and sand. The cleaned culms are air-dried in the open or kiln-dried to remove moisture. Culms with desirable form, appearance, and other related properties are selected from the stock and cut to the required length. Application of heat softens poles that require straightening. Culms with almost similar size and quality are then bundled and fumigated to prevent attack of decay-causing organisms during transfer or storage. Converting bamboo poles into slats One of the initial steps in e-bamboo processing is the conversion of poles to slats. Slats can be made from bamboo poles by splitting or sawing. Splitting is done with

Chapter 5 Manufacturing Technologies for Engineered-Bamboo

a handheld knife or splitter (Figure 5.2) or with an automatic machine splitter. The splitter ring containing the knives is placed centrally at one end of the pole, and then pressed towards the other end of the pole. This action separates the pole along its length into several pieces referred to as slats, where the quantity formed depends on the number of knives and the desired width of the individual pieces.

Figure 5.2 Hand held splitter with 8-knives.

When slats are made by splitting the bamboo bole, recovery is affected by grain orientation of bamboo species. The bamboo will split following the line of least resistance, which means that separation will conform to the grain direction. Consequently, species like Kawayan tinik which has relatively shorter internode distances and where grain direction changes at every node, the likelihood of producing crooked split-bamboo is high. Another limitation of the splitting method is that a splitter with a given number of knives will be useful only for a given range of pole diameters. To improve efficiency, poles will have to be classified according to diameter size prior to splitting. Also, large- diameter poles cut with a splitter having a fixed number of knives will produce bigger or wider slats. In most cases, slats with uniform width are desired, so a higher proportion of the material is wasted in bringing the width of the slats to the target dimension. To aid in selecting the splitter ring to use, we devised Table 5.1 which shows the number of knives corresponding to the diameter of culms to be split. We strongly recommend that e-bamboo processors consult this table to maximize recovery of bamboo material during slat preparation.

62


Table 5.1 Appropriate number of knives on the splitter corresponding to diameter of culms. Bamboo Pole Outer Diameter (inches) Rough Size Slat Width (inch) Culm wall thickness Culm Inner diameter

5”

5” 5” 6” 6” 6” No. of Slats Produced (with the use of splitter) (Assuming 1/8” allowance on both sides. Larger allowance needed for thicker culms). ¼”

½”

¾”

¼”

½”

¾”

4.5”

4”

3.5”

5.5”

5”

4.5”

No. of 1” slats

11

10

8

13

12

11

No. of 1 ½” slats

8

7

6

9

8

8

Guide for using Table 5.1: 1) First determine the outer diameter of the bamboo pole in inches. (Example: Bamboo pole to be split has an outside diameter of 5”). 2) Next, determine the thickness of the culm wall. Match the measurement with the corresponding value in row 4 (culm wall thickness) of the table. Use the lower dimension among the 3 choices given in the table (i.e., ¼”, ½”, ¾”) if the culm wall thickness is not exactly the same as one of the values given. This will also provide the inner diameter of the bamboo pole. (Example: The bamboo pole has a culm wall thickness of 13/16”. Hence, use the value 3/4” from the table). 3) Then, determine the width of slats that you want to produce from the pole. (The choice is limited to 1” and 1-½” slat-width.) (Example: Assuming that 1” slats are desired. Looking at the table, specifically the yellow-colored row, then choose a splitter with 8 knives to produce 8 pieces of 1-inch slats from the given bamboo pole).

The use of a twin-blade saw is more appropriate for bamboo species with crisscrossing grain in order to avoid the use of a splitter that produces slats with irregular edges (Figure 5.3). Slats produced from a twin blade saw have uniform width and edges that need only minimal secondary processing. Slats obtained from uneven-grained bamboo species that come out of hand-held or machine splitters will need additional machining (ripping) to produce straight and even edges, to make them ready for lamination. During this edge-straightening process, substantial portions of the bamboo are removed, lowering the percent material recovery from each pole.

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Figure 5.3. Producing slats with the use of a twin-blade saw at Bamboza in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

If rework or further milling of the slats cannot be avoided, wood jigs are recommended to machine them, especially in squaring and producing straight edges. Jigs are machine guides and serve as protection or safety tools for machine operators who handle small substrates that are fed to high-speed woodworking machines. Preservative treatment This involves chemical methods of treating bamboo poles with preservatives, and requires utmost care to ensure the safety of the workers, lessen environmental hazards associated with accidental spillage of preservatives, while making certain that proper preservation of the bamboo material is attained. There are a number of methods available such as spraying, brushing, soaking in preservative solution, steeping, Boucherie process, hot and cold process, sap displacement, and pressure treatment. Spraying and brushing including soaking in Cu-naphthanate or 20% borax are preventive chemical treatment methods; however, because of very low preservative penetration, the effect on the bamboo poles is at best, temporary. 64


Boucherie process is treatment with the aid of pressure either from gravity or artificial pressure. The pressure ensures better penetration and higher preservative absorption than soaking. The “hot-and-cold” bath process involves heating the materials to be treated in a tank of preservative. The elevated temperature causes the air in the wood to expand with some of it escaping from the wood. The cooling period causes the expanded air to contract creating a partial vacuum that draws the preservative into the wood. The high pressure sap displacement method is a modified Boucherie process using much higher pressure than the original process. The freshly cut pole to be treated is attached at one end to a pressure cap and the pressure applied on a receptacle of preservative forces the preservative through the bamboo pole. The penetration of the preservative takes about 30 minutes or a 6-8 m long pole and penetration of the preservative is complete. Sap replacement involves letting a freshly cut pole with the branches and leaves intact stand in a receptacle of water-borne preservative. Respiration continues to take place in the leaves creating a partial vacuum in the pole causing the penetration of the preservative into the bamboo pole replacing the moisture that evaporates from the leaves. In pressure treatment, the materials to be treated are placed in an enclosed cylinder, the preservative is admitted into the cylinders until the desired pressure in the cylinder is created. The pressure forces the preservative into the bamboo poles. The poles should be dried before treatment. At the Buglas Bamboo Institute (BBI), treatment of bamboo is done with a chemical preservative, Woodtec®. Borax treatment of bamboo did not prevent 100% the attack of bamboo slats by termites, molds and staining fungi. The use of Woodtec® was found to be more effective in protecting bamboo slats against the attack of fungi and powder-post beetles. The treatment involves dipping the slats in a solution of Woodtec® for a few minutes prior to handling and subsequent ebamboo processing (Figure 5.4). Preservatives used in the treatment of bamboo in other engineered-bamboo processing plants in the country are shown in Table 5.2. The table shows that the most common method employed by the different ebamboo processors in the treatment of bamboo is by soaking, although the duration of treatment varies depending on the chemical used.

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The choice of the chemical preservative and the method of treatment should be carefully evaluated to determine their adequacy to provide the needed protection for engineered-bamboo so that the end-product will remain pest-free or fungalinfection free in its lifetime. For instance, boric acid is good only for prophylaxis, which has to be supplemented with additional chemicals or treatments for increased product durability.

Figure 5.4. Vat used by Buglas Bamboo Institute where bamboo slats are dipped in a solution of Woodtec® before further processing.

Drying of bamboo Freshly-cut bamboo poles, just like wood from timber trees, contain water that generally poses a problem in utilizing hygroscopic lignocellulosic materials. The water content of bamboo poles must be reduced or removed prior to machining and assembly into engineered-bamboo products or the construction of furniture or housing components, to avoid problems associated with high moisture content such as susceptibility to discoloration and decay, shrinkage and movement of the bamboo that produce cracks, curves, warps, and loosens connectors and joints, and difficulty in accepting glue and surface finish, among others.

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Table 5.2. Chemicals/preservatives used by local engineered-bamboo processors (Villanueva et al., 2010). Name of company/engineered-bamboo processor

Chemicals Used

Treatment Treatment Method Period

Bamboza

Boric acid

Soaking

15 minutes

Borax, boric acid dissolved in water

Soaking Soaking Soaking Soaking

14 days 14 days 1 hour 1 hour

Buglas Bamboo Institute

Woodtec® dissolved in kerosene or diesel Cottage Industries Technology Center (CITC)

Lentrex®, Boric acid

Soaking

SidlakPinoy Inc.

Boric acid

Soaking

Southern Leyte Employers Multipurpose Cooperative, Inc. (SLEM)

Boric acid/borax

Soaking

Wing An Construction

Boric acid

Soaking

14 days

There is common awareness among bamboo product manufacturers and consumers of the disadvantages of processing and using relatively “wet” bamboo poles, but knowledge about how to properly and efficiently dry the bamboo pole to reduce moisture, of ways to measure moisture content, and to what final moisture content to dry the bamboo poles is limited. As an “obligatory” step in bamboo processing, traditional methods of drying are employed, with no system whatsoever to determine the moisture levels of the bamboo materials being dried. The traditional methods rely on sun drying the bamboo poles, with little or no protection at all against the rain. The pole or the slats are made to stand against a horizontal support, in an alternating fashion (See Figure 5.5) with the other end of the pole directly in contact with the ground. In some cases, the drying duration is shortened when the demand for the end-product calls for utilizing components that are still in the process of being dried.

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In general, the bamboo skin is removed manually, usually with a sharp bolo, before drying. This strips off the impermeable outer skin that makes drying of the bamboo slow and difficult. In many cases, the pole is cut into slats prior to drying.

Figure 5.5. Common practice in air drying bamboo poles.

Slats dry faster than whole poles as the permeable inner portion of the bamboo is exposed to the passing air, as compared to drying the whole culm where the enclosure and diaphragm retards moisture movement. The following kiln drying schedule (Figure 5.6) is proposed for kiln bamboo slats, without need for humidity control. This simulates kiln drying observed in companies such as Bamboza in Sta. Barbara and a cooperative in a Barangay in the town of Alimodian, Iloilo, where the kilns do not have humidity controls.

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Figure 5.6. Proposed kiln-drying schedule for bamboo slats, with no humidity control (Razal et al., 2011).

When it comes to drying solid bamboo poles, stacking them with the length parallel to the longer dimension of the kiln and with stickers in between layers, is easier and more practical to implement and, therefore usually practiced. But with most kilns, air circulates across the kiln’s length, and this direction of air flow relative to the orientation of the pole results in relatively longer drying times as air is made to pass through narrow openings, provided by the stickers between the piled bamboo culms. It is not difficult to see that moisture permeates with difficulty from the inner portion to the outer skin of the bamboo (Please see Figure 5.7 below).

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Figure 5.7.

Commonly practiced method of drying solid bamboo poles, with longer dimension of the pole parallel to kiln length and perpendicular to direction of air circulation.

We propose the following modifications. The bamboo poles should be cut to lengths that will make them fit the shorter kiln dimension. Holes are then made through the entire diaphragms in a given pole by pushing a long metal bar through the hollow bamboo tube (Please see Figure 5.8). The poles are then stacked in a manner such that their length is perpendicular to the longer side of the kiln chamber (Figure 5.9). The need for stickers is dispensed with in such an arrangement, as the hot air can freely pass through the holes within the poles. As air circulates, the hot air will move through one end of the hollow bamboo tubes; as the air exits to the other end, it would carry moisture-laden air escaping from the inner culm wall. This arrangement of the bamboo poles and the fact that they were pre-processed in a manner that facilitates air movement contribute to faster drying of the poles. This leads to savings in time and energy because the poles take a shorter time to dry.

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Figure 5.8 Recommended technique for breaking the nodal diaphragms to open the bamboo tube for air passage to facilitate drying (Razal et al., 2011. Artwork by J.A. Elec, 2011).

Figure 5.9. Recommended stacking arrangement of bamboo poles in a kiln to facilitate drying, where the poles are perpendicular to the kiln length and air circulates through the hollow bamboo tubes (Razal et al., 2011. Artwork by J. A. Elec, 2011).

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The proposed kiln drying schedule for drying round Kawayan tinik poles is shown in Table 5.3.The recommended MC-based kiln drying schedule for Kawayan tinik bamboo poles with the piling / arrangement inside the kiln chamber as described above will take less than 2 hours to dry. Table 5.3. Recommended MC-based kiln drying schedule for round, solid Kawayan tinik bamboo poles (Razal et al., 2011). Moisture Content (%)

Dry bulb temperature (°F)

>50 49-30 29-19 18-15 14-12 11- Final

100 105 110 120 130 145

Wet bulb Depression (°F) 4 7 8 12 18 23

Relative Humidity (%) 86 80 75 67 53 41

Equilibrium Moisture Content (%) 17.5 14.0 13.0 11.0 8.7 6.7

Gluing and Assembly Ideally, the assembly of engineered-bamboo is done either with a combination of glue spreading and a pressing machine, or in a composer that does application of the adhesive followed by pressing with heat and pressure in a single, pneumatically operated machine called composer. However, none of the engineered-bamboo makers in the Philippines have these machines, probably because the low production volume cannot justify investing in them. Glue application is done manually using cold-setting glue, and assembly is done with the aid of several hand operated, panel clamping screw presses that are positioned at several locations along the length of the board. As mentioned, cold setting glue is largely used, but performance in service of the end products is still largely unknown since the monitoring of already “installed” e-bamboo products is not yet being undertaken. Hand application of glue introduces inconsistencies in amount of glue spread on the surface to be joined, which can result in either excessive glue which can be costly, or starved glue joints due to inadequate amount applied. For the laboratory production of e-bamboo products, D3 quality glue products for cold setting of the assembled bamboo slats was employed. It is the glue type normally used for laminating wood in the absence of heat application. D3 is a high quality water-resistant general-purpose white-colored copolymer emulsion 72


consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) resins for bonding a variety of wood species; it dries to give a clear glue line and is suitable for use in furniture, laminating, finger-jointing and general joinery including doors, windows and frames (http://www.rystix.co.za/images/product/showpdf.). It is not recommended for structural applications “as it is not a thermosetting product.” When used in accordance with the correct recommendations, the product conforms to the European Standard EN204 / Class D3 and SANS 10183-2000 / Class D3. Among others, it features “very good water and heat resistance after curing for 7 days; exhibits improved creep and solvent resistance.” For timber, best results are obtained if the timber is freshly planed, dry and free from dirt or dust and when planer skips, wedging and polished surfaces are avoided. The moisture content of all timber to be joined should be controlled within the 7-14% range, preferably between 8-12%” (http://www.rystix.co.za/images/ product/showpdf). Compared with same-sized narrow strips of wood, bamboo slats are more prone to dimensional changes as they dry. Bamboo slats easily warp, curve, bow, or bend and generally depart from a true-and-square section, rendering the assembly of an all-bamboo plank more difficult than the all-wood counterpart. The cylindrical nature of bamboo and the uneven presence of cell types within the culm wall, not to mention the stressed conditions of slats owing to the manner in which they are processed (i.e., as if they are originally flat) compared with solid wood probably account for the tendency of split bamboo to more drastically change its configuration as it loses moisture. The thin materials that are produced from the culm walls are quite expectedly more difficult to handle, especially during machining and lamination. The irregularities in the shape and surface of the slats result in gaps and unevenness in the planks which are difficult to control with manual assembly and pressing. Better quality bamboo slats that have undergone proper straightening, machining and surface preparation are necessary to facilitate lamination and avoid defects that can initiate glue line failure in the final product. The use of mechanized equipment, preferably a composing machine that can withstand high temperature and pressure to produce quality lamination in the final e-bamboo product, is recommended. Such equipment will ensure more uniform, consistent and higher pressure application.

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A series of photographs below, taken from the various processing plants in the country, shows some of the steps involved in the local manufacture of engineeredbamboo products (Figures 5.10 to 5.13).

Figure 5.10. Cross-cutting of bamboo poles to the desired length. The specialized saw prevents binding of the saw with the bamboo.

Figure 5.11. Planing or surfacing of bamboo slats to make the thickness uniform before assembly into engineered-bamboo planks.

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Figure 5.12. Matching of slats to insure uniform size, color and appearance of assembled engineered-bamboo planks.

Figure 5.13. Pressing of engineered-bamboo planks using manually-tightened screw presses or clamps.

Finishing of e-bamboo panels Like wood, bamboo is a lignocellulosic material whose primary chemical component, cellulose, contains hydroxyl groups that make it adsorptive of water. As it adsorbs or loses water, bamboo undergoes dimensional changes which bring 75


about its physical deterioration in the long-term. Finishing bamboo can help stabilize and protect engineered-bamboo products, apart from enhancing its aesthetic value. A detailed description of the materials, procedures and techniques for applying finishing on engineered-bamboo is available in the manual “State-ofthe-Art: Processing of Engineered-bamboo Products in the Philippines” by Villanueva et al., (2010). The surface of engineered-bamboo panels is not yet ready for the application of finish after the planing operation. A typical procedure for finishing the surface of engineered-bamboo products will include the following: sanding, filling, staining, sealing, washcoat, glazing, topcoat, and rubbing (Hiziroglu, undated). Sanding using a series of sandpaper, from coarse, medium to fine grade, in that sequence, removes dirt, machining defects or marks, rough or fuzzy surface, and results in a surface that is smooth to touch. Sanding using superfine sandpaper is also done after topcoat application. Staining changes the color of the bamboo, which can be done with the use of oil-soluble or water soluble stains. Filling will even up the surface by plugging gaps between the slats. This is accomplished by applying a thick coat of wood filler paste on the surface followed by removal of excess paste by rubbing across the grain with a coarse fabric (Hiziroglu, ibid.) The purpose of sealing is to stop the absorption of succeeding coats on the surface of the bamboo. According to Hiziroglu (ibid.), the application of a sealer is one of the most critical steps in finishing as “it increases the smoothness of the surface so that the remaining finish coats will adhere to the surface.” If desired, glaze stains may be applied to add depth and richness to the surface of the engineered-bamboo product, especially for expensive specialty products. Topcoat is then applied which increases thickness and decorative color. The most common method of applying the finishing material is through spraying, i.e., with the use of a spray gun, although other methods such as brushing, roller coating and dipping are available. The spray gun should be held about 5 to11 inches from the surface of the bamboo and should be moved parallel to the panel rather than in a swinging motion to avoid uneven distribution of the finish (Hiziroglu, ibid.). The right conditions for applying surface finish includes 76


sufficient air circulation, proper temperature, controlled humidity, and a generally clean workplace to ensure efficient and proper application of the finishing material. Influence of manufacturing conditions on the properties of E-bamboo products Conditions used in the manufacturing process for engineered-bamboo products heavily influence the properties of the final product. Proper understanding of factors affecting the processing will aid in the search for solutions to correct problems encountered in the manufacture of engineered-bamboo products. Such knowledge will come in handy especially when manufacturers are considering the export of their products. The manufacturer should be capable of making products that are consistent in their quality and made at a low cost, to be able to capture a good segment of the highly competitive international market for e-bamboo products. Ensuring uniform thickness of slats and surface preparation Bamboo slats used for e-bamboo products should have uniform thicknesses, especially when the engineered-bamboo product is assembled using construction option 1, which is usually the case. This will ensure uniform distribution of glue, better bonding between layers, and an even thickness of the end product. Just as critical as the uniformity of thickness is the smoothness of the surface of the slats. Glue provides better adhesion on smooth surfaces as the glue is able to spread more uniformly, preventing portions that are starved with adhesive. Also, with uniform thicknesses and good surface preparation, the pressure applied during pressing will be distributed more evenly across the board, thereby maximizing inter-layer bonding that result in better product stability. Treatments to improve resistance to biodeterioration Because of the starch and high holocellulose content of bamboo, it is susceptible to attacks of decay-causing organism. This is one of the major drawbacks of bamboo that make consumers wary of its use for construction and other applications where durability and long service life are of critical importance. 77


Preservative treatment is necessary to ensure adequate protection against defects caused by bio-deteriorating agents. The bamboo strips may be soaked for long duration in water to leach out the starch or even boiled to lower the carbohydrate content of the bamboo. The disadvantage of these methods is that they will require redrying of the bamboo to lower the moisture content. High moisture content makes the bamboo susceptible to fungal decay. Alternatively, bamboo strips may also be treated with deltamethrin, 2-thiocyanamethyl-benzothiozole (TCMTB), sodium pentachlorophenate (NaPCP) or a combination of deltamethrin with either TCMTM or NaPCP prior to processing. Treatment with these chemicals will provide protection to bamboo against powder-post beetle and fungal attack (Garcia et al., 1998). Gluing and assembly considerations Adhesives for engineered-bamboo construction are urea formaldehyde, polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and phenol formaldehyde resin (PFR). Alipon (2011) reported that engineered-bamboo products made from deltamethrin or borax and boric acidtreated Kawayan tinik and then glued with urea formaldehyde is the best combination of treatment, as it resulted in acceptable physical and mechanical properties, at minimal cost. Likewise, glue should be properly applied to prevent the glue from oozing out from the glueline and spreading to the surface of the endproduct. Research at the FPRDI showed that the conditions for the optimum gluing of bamboo slats panel (32 × 150 600 mm) include the use of 100-140 g/m2 glue spread, 15 to 30 minutes assembly time and 8 kg/m2 of pressure during pressing (Bauza, 2006). An earlier study reported that a glue spread of 140 g/m2, specific pressure of 20 kg/m2 and pressing time of 2 min on resin-bonded mats for interior walls were sufficient for both Kawayan tinik and botong boards with core layer of either 1 or 3 mm-thick slats (Espiloy, 1994). Drying to achieve favorable moisture content Bamboo strips must be properly dried prior to gluing because adhesives are usually sensitive to high MC, i.e., at high MC, adhesion between substrates is generally poor. In addition, bio-deteriorating agents thrive in high moisture conditions. Moisture content in the range of 10-12% MC prior to gluing should be maintained so as not to impair bond quality and in order to prevent fungal decay. 78

6

Engineered-Bamboo Enterprises: Status, Promotion and Development

Processors of Engineered-Bamboo Products The first reported production of engineered-bamboo products in the Philippines is by the Far East Bamboo Exports Company in Cebu City in 1996. To this day, the company is still engaged in making bamboo furniture and furnishings, along with other products that are mostly intended for the export market. Twelve (12) other public or private organizations have since started production of engineeredbamboo products as shown in Table 6.1 although based on the value chain for engineered-bamboo (Lantayona, 2012), there are now 17 e-bamboo hubs2 all over the country. The e-bamboo products manufactured locally include e-bamboo floor tiles, e-bamboo table tops and e-bamboo panels. Three other business-oriented organizations are considering ventures in engineered-bamboo production, two of which are in Central Luzon, namely Betis Woodcrafts in Pampanga and Wood Inspirations in Tarlac City, while the other one is the Carmelite Missionaries Bamboo Craft Center in La Paz, Iloilo. No government agency has the mandate for producing a list of business establishments engaged in e-bamboo processing, hence the difficulty to gather inventory data on existing engineered-bamboo enterprises in the country. The establishments shown in Table 6.1 were tracked by the project team through information provided by the DTI, DENR, and referrals from bamboo plantation owners who supply the raw material requirements of the bamboo processors. 2

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) defines e-bamboo hubs as the main plant engaged in engineered-bamboo processing for a given area, and serves as the consolidator of the raw materials supplied by the nodes. Nodes serve as the satellites which can be operated by communities for the purpose of growing and undertaking primary processing of bamboo.

Chapter 6 Engineered-Bamboo Enterprises

Table 6.1. Name, location, year of establishment and status of e-bamboo processors. Name Luzon 1. Balbin’s Furniture 2. InHand Abra

Year Started

Location Bangued, Abra Bangued, Abra

1998

3. Cottage Industries Technology Center (CITC) 4. Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) 5. Wing An Construction 6. Phil. Furniture Training Center VISAYAS 7. Bamboza

Marikina City, Metro Manila

2009

Batac, Ilocos Norte

2004

San Juan, Metro Manila Mabalacat, Pampanga

2008 2010

Sta. Barbara, Iloilo

2008

8. Buglas Bamboo Institute

Dauin, Negros Oriental

1999

9. Far East Bamboo Exports 10. Southern Leyte Employers Multipurpose Cooperative, Inc. (SLEM) MINDANAO 11. Brgy. Luinab Multipurpose Cooperative (BALUMCO) 12. MSU- Bamboo Technology Resource Center 13. SidlakPinoy Inc.

Cebu City

1996

Maasin, Southern Leyte

2006

Iligan City

2005

Iligan City, Lanao del Norte Valencia, Bukidnon

2005 2001

Status Stopped operation Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Stopped operation Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Production by customer order basis Experimental stage Stopped operation

Despite the more than a decade-old existence of engineered-bamboo enterprises in the country, local consumption of engineered-bamboo products has not caught on. Whatever local demand there is for e-bamboo products, this is largely filled by imports from China which has managed to sell e-bamboo products through the chain of construction depots/hardware stores that have outlets all over the country. To some extent, local e-bamboo manufacturers respond to orders made by customers who actively seek e-bamboo products to satisfy home or office 80


construction design needs or to fulfill personal preferences of not using wood for their homes or work spaces. These customers replace wood with what they consider as a greener product, such as those made from bamboo. On the practical side, the high production cost of making engineered-bamboo products, and consequently, the higher selling price of the finished products dissuade customers from procuring them for general construction purposes or ordinary furniture making. The few buyers of e-bamboo products include owners of resorts, hotels, celebrities and rich people out to make a statement about their advocacy for the environment and related nature conservation values through the materials they use for constructing their residences, as well as for interior decoration and furnishing. Labor costs contribute significantly to the total cost of producing e-bamboo products from Philippine bamboo species because of the amount of work and rework done in material preparation and e-bamboo assembly. Thus, the need for good quality bamboo poles cannot be overemphasized. The relative ease of handling and less work entailed by poles that are mature, straight, thick-walled, and with no visible stains, discoloration, dents or marks make them the material of choice for engineered-bamboo products. SidlakPinoy, Inc. and Buglas Bamboo Institute, Inc. use both giant bamboo and kawayan tinik, for their products. The rest of the e-bamboo processors use kawayan tinik mainly as their raw material. The relative abundance of bamboo in the locale of the e-bamboo processing centers induces entrepreneurs to use these locally available materials for the production of e-bamboo products. Most of these processing centers are linked with nearby forest-based people’s organizations (POs) and owners of bamboo plantations to supply them with their raw material needs. Bamboos are delivered either in poles or in the form of slats/sticks. The price per pole ranges from P25.00 to P70.00 while the price per stick ranges from P2.00 to P2.50. The volume of raw materials supplied to the e-bamboo processing centers is largely dependent on the demand for e-bamboo products. As mentioned earlier, 81


kawayan tinik is the preferred species, and the poles should be at least three years old at the time of delivery. Some processors directly procure their bamboo poles from the cutting area to ensure that they get only the pole quality that they need. In other cases, they deal with traders/shippers who supply them with bamboo slats as this arrangement facilitates transport of the materials and unburdens the processor from procuring transport permits. Slats measure one inch wide by one meter long when delivered to the processors. Initiatives for the development and promotion of engineered-bamboo enterprises in the Philippines EO 879 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in May 2010 created the Philippines Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) which was tasked to promote bamboo industry development in the country. The EO also directed the use of bamboo for at least 25% of tables, desks, chairs and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools and to prioritize the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures and other construction requirements of government facilities. Prototypes of armchair and school desks to be fabricated from engineered-bamboo were developed by the CITC as shown in Figures 6.1 and 6.2 below. The composition of the PBIDC includes the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as chair, DENR, (Department of Agriculture) DA, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the private sector and the league of municipalities as members. The inclusion of the league of municipalities signals the important role played by local government units in supporting businesses venturing into bamboo production and processing. The government of Alaminos City, Pangasinan went into partnership with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to come up with a project called Hundred Islands (HI) Engineered Kawayan. The project capitalizes on the popularity of the city as a prime tourist destination and the abundance of bamboo resources in the area. The project targets the establishment of a fully functional bamboo factory to mass produce high-quality furniture and school armchairs using engineered-bamboo as material. 82


Figure 6.1. Actual model of armchair made with engineeredbamboo products and fabricated by CITC.

Figure 6.2. Actual model of school desk made with engineered-bamboo products fabricated by CITC.

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Prior to this development, a mini-factory has been built for bamboo furniture production, equipped with machines procured from the Mariano Marcos State University. The PhP31M-partnership with PAGCOR is envisioned to provide the 6,000 school chair requirements of the City and at the same time provide livelihood to 10,000 residents living in the city and adjacent towns in the province of Pangasinan (Flores, Philippines Star, 2012). In 2009, the city government required the use of engineered-bamboo materials in all resorts and food establishments (2009, http://www.mb.com.ph). The Regional Director of DTI Region 3 heads the department’s bamboo industry roadmap development and has led the region’s bamboo industry development efforts. It has intensified its campaign to support business ventures on bamboo propagation and processing of engineered-bamboo, in line with the Department’s Ebambu Philippines Project initiated by the Department’s Regional Operations and Development Group under Undersecretary Merly Cruz. Among others, the Ebambu Philippines Project aims to “realize the potentials of the engineeredbamboo as a better generator of employment and income for the people in bamboo farming communities and to contribute to the clean and green program of the government to protect the environment.” Among the strategies adopted by the Ebambu Philippines Project is the establishment of nodes that shall serve as the primary processing facility that manufactures bamboo slats and are responsible for gathering, treatment, and cutting and splitting/ripping of bamboo poles that will be used by the hubs as raw material in producing engineered-bamboo products (Figure 6.3). The latter will receive the slats which in turn are manufactured into engineered-bamboo products like school desks, furniture, floor tiles/boards and other building materials. The hubs are equipped with machines and facilities that enable them to undertake milling, lamination, assembly and finishing of end-products.

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Figure 6.3. Slats produced by nodes, bundled and carefully stacked prior to shipment to the hubs for processing into engineered-bamboo products.

As of 2012, the nodes have been established in Region 3 (http://www.niccep.dti.gov.ph/) as follows: (a) Mt. Moriah Craft, in Aurora province; (b) MASAGKA-CBFM, in Bagac, Bataan; (c) PAMANA, in Llanera, Nueva Ecija; (d) Magalang Bamboo Growers Association in Magalang, Pampanga; and (e) Woodinspirations Crafts, in Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac. The establishment of hubs is consistent with the idea of near source value-adding that is designed to increase the share of bamboo producers and gatherers of the economic benefits that can be derived from the e-bamboo value chain. This augurs well for inclusive development or pro-poor growth as the poor bamboo farmers who are upstream of the value chain will not be left behind when the whole chain is promoted. A sixth node is the Sta. Catalina Bamboo Negosyo Village in Lubao, Pampanga, but the latter is a hub as well, along with the Philippine Furniture Training Center in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Non-government organizations in the region have joined hands with government in the bamboo advocacy, with the drive to fabricate public school desks using engineered-bamboo among its pioneering activities. The J. Paule Elementary School in Lubao, Pampanga was the first recipient of engineered-bamboo school

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desks in the region, followed by the Balanga Elementary School which had received 25 chairs in 2009 out of 175 engineered-bamboo desks targeted for donation (PNA, 2010 http://balita.ph). Other activities that were implemented to advance the engineered-bamboo industry in Region 3 are the creation of market linkages for bamboo products, the conduct of local and international study missions, participation in trade fair and exhibits, and the conduct of various organizational management and skills training to enhance the management of bamboo hub/node for bamboo propagation, materials selection, harvesting and treatment, machine operation, bamboo slats processing and engineered furniture manufacturing. Building capacity for engineered-bamboo production is also being undertaken by DTI to promote the engineered-bamboo products industry in other parts of the country. In 2011, a training project was conducted in Samar in 2011 as Samar has been identified as a potential production center for engineered-bamboo products. The Department allotted PhP300,000 for bamboo inventory in the island. DTI coordinated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Science and Technology to implement bamboo planting activities and to help in the production process (Meniano, 2011 http://www.bworldonline.com). DTI provides the processing machines and the conduct of training for those interested to venture into the engineered-bamboo enterprise. The project also aims to help protect and conserve the environment and uplift the living conditions of the marginalized upland farmers. Through the project, government hopes to create jobs, boost business opportunities for bamboo growers, and reduce the cutting of trees in the island. Similarly, DTI conducted a product design and market trends seminar focusing on engineered-bamboo among the municipalities in the province of Aklan. This activity was done in partnership with the Aklan Chamber of Furniture Industries, Inc. (ACFI) and the Product Design Center of the Philippines (PDCP). Prototypes of furniture using engineered-bamboo slats and traditional poles were developed by the province’s industry entrepreneurs. The bamboo slats and poles were combined with other materials like nito, wood and metal for gift products, houseware, furniture and furnishings that were showcased in an exhibit 86


(http://leoque.com). In Libacao, Aklan, the DTI and the local government signed a memorandum of agreement in 2011 that would turn the municipality into an engineered-bamboo production center. Under the agreement, Libacao was slated to produce bamboo slats for processing into engineered-bamboo, and approximately 960,000 bamboo slats were targeted for delivery in container vans to CITC, Manila (Manila Bulletin, 2011 http://ph.news.yahoo.com). Still in 2011, the DTI through its Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) initiated the process of developing the Philippine National Standards for engineered-bamboo products to make them more competitive in the market. Technical experts from the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), the Cottage Industry Technology Center (CITC), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños as well as private sector representatives were involved in formulating the set standards. The most recent version of the draft standards is appended as Annex B. Aside from initiatives in Regions 3, 6 and 8, DTI also has other projects in the Cordilleras and in Mindanao to harness bamboo resources in the respective locality. One of the goals is to generate jobs and other livelihood opportunities in those areas (Osorio, 2011). In Mindanao, a project led by the Allah Valley Landscape Development Authority (AVLADA), involves the planting of bamboo on unutilized land areas, most especially those adjacent to flood prone areas. Other targeted areas are those under Community-based Forest Management (CBFM), Integrated Social Forestry (ISF), Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA), riparian zones, buffer zones and brown lands not suitable for agricultural crops and vegetation. The South Cotabato Province Bamboo Industry Development Council (SCPBIDC) would develop and plant more bamboo species, specifically Kawayan tinik, botong and giant bamboo for engineered- bamboo production including other marketable bamboo varieties endemic to Philippines. The abundance of bamboo in the area was the impetus for the establishment of a mini-hub in Sto. Niňo, South Cotabato (http://anythingaboutbamboo.blogspot.com).

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An initial allocation of P9.5 M was provided to the provincial government of South Cotabato by the DTI through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This amount will be used for the purchase of equipment like the kiln dryer to process the engineered-bamboo into desks and furniture. The provincial government urged every municipality to establish their own bamboo nurseries, a challenge that was taken on by some barangays that had committed to set up a nursery for propagating bamboo (Templonuevo, nd, http://southcotabato.gov.ph). To document the various experiences of DTI in its advocacy and training activities on the use of bamboo for engineered-products, CITC produced a how-totechnology guide entitled “The Engineered-Bamboo: The Industry, Technology and Other Information.” The guide is filled with visuals and photographs to illustrate the principles and processes entailed in manufacturing engineeredbamboo products, as well as to explain DTI’s efforts in enhancing opportunities in rural areas in the use of bamboo as a source of livelihood for the community. Local governments also have started to pay attention to bamboo product development to boost livelihood and address other pressing concerns in their respective areas of jurisdiction. An example is the case of Tabontabon, Leyte, where the habal-habal or motorcycle equipped with wooden planks to carry more people is a common means of public transport. The local government is aware of the risks to the riding passengers of habal-habal, so a project was launched for the design of vehicle prototypes to replace this accident-prone mode of transport. The town mayor and participating residents came up with three vehicular models (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net) consisting of parts made of bamboo and an engine that can run on biodiesel. The Eco 1 model car is made of indigenous materials, except for the engine, tires, chassis and flooring (Figure 6.4). It can seat 20 people, including the driver, and can run on one gallon of biodiesel for eight hours and climb a 20% incline. Its body, including the roof, is covered with woven mats. It has steel plate flooring. Bamboo components were laminated or treated with polyurethane to withstand the heat and rain. The Eco 2 model car is 70 per cent made of bamboo, including body and flooring. It can seat six passengers and has a stereo system. It can run on one gallon of biodiesel for eight hours and can also 88


climb a 20-percent incline. The Eco 3 model car is an improved version of Eco 2, with bamboo making up 90 percent of the car, including chassis. It can accommodate six passengers. The price tag for the cheapest design is two hundred thousand pesos (PhP200,000). PCARRD continues to fund research, development and extension programs on bamboo, such as the Bamboo Industry Development Program which seeks to mainstream engineered-bamboo products as the bamboo sector’s flagship product. Various aspects of engineered- bamboo production and utilization were encompassed by the program as follows: plantation establishment, distribution and marketing, engineering and processing, standards setting and quality control, model enterprise testing and development of information, communication and education materials (www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph). Manuals on nursery and plantation establishment, harvesting, processing, and policies on engineered-bamboo, as mentioned in Chapter 1, had been produced as parts of the outputs of the program.

Figure 6.4 An eco-model car made of bamboo in Leyte, Philippines. (Source: http://www.wired.com)

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Likewise, a capability building workshop was conducted by the program team from the Department of Forest Products and Paper Science, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, UP Los Baños for the owners and workers of Bamboza, in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo and for the operators and laborers of Buglas Bamboo Institute in Dauin, Negros Oriental. The main objective was to introduce improved technologies on harvesting, post-harvesting and treatment, and material preparation for which training modules on harvesting, kiln drying, processing, and finishing were developed. The post-course evaluation revealed overall satisfaction with the training implementation and design, although most of the participants expressed their desire for further training on kiln drying and finishing of e-bamboo products (http://www.bamboophil.org). Carmelita Bersalona, founder of InHand Abra and coordinator of the Livelihood and Economic Development Program and production specialist of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan owns a house in Abra that is made from bamboo (Enriquez, 2009). The stair cases are made from bamboo slats, while the hand rails are poles from the imported bamboo species popularly known as Buddha’s belly in the Philippines. Plyboo makes up the door panels. The dining chairs are resinlaminated bamboo and the dining table has layers of flattened bamboo. Other furniture items such as the vanity table, bed, sofa and lounging chairs are all made from laminated woven bamboo. The renowned architect and national artist, Francisco Mañosa who is noted for his Filipino inspired architectural designs, has been a long-time advocate of the technological development of bamboo as a building material. To architect Mañosa, bamboo is a material for the future (Archikonst, 2005). One of his famous designs is a bamboo house in Ternate, Cavite. It was built in the late 1970s when prefabricated bamboo building materials were nowhere to be found yet. This project made use of bamboo wall paneling and bamboo parquet tiles and all the furniture were specially designed and fabricated using bamboo.

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Value chain for Engineered-Bamboo Products During the 2012 Philippine Bamboo Roadmap Workshop held in Clark, Pampanga, the DTI Regional Director for Region 3 presented the value chain map for engineered-bamboo as shown in Figure 6.5. According to the value chain map and in accordance with the strategy adopted by the DTI to promote e-bamboo enterprises, five groups of stakeholders had been identified as follows: nursery growers, plantation developers/workers, nodes, hubs, and the consumers. The value chain map indicates that there are now 34 bamboo nodes in the country, while 17 hubs or processors have been accounted for. About 175,000 chairs have been produced so far. Interestingly, the map also showed that 13,545 hectares have already been planted to bamboo (compare with 15,121 has in Table 2.3 in Chapter 2) and that about 70,000 hectares more are available for planting all over the country.

Figure 6.5. Value chain map of the engineered-bamboo industry. (Source: Lantayona, B. 2012. Philippine Bamboo Roadmap Workshop).

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An important result of performing value chain mapping, when done with the participation of the industry’s stakeholders, is the enumeration of constraints and opportunities for the entire sector as seen by the industry actors themselves. Among the constraints are the lack of awareness on the potential of bamboo which hinder bamboo nursery development, incomplete database on bamboo plantations, limited supply and high cost of bamboo poles, and the lack of appropriate technologies and machineries for e-bamboo processing. On the brighter side, opportunities include the increasing demand for engineered-bamboo products in both the domestic and international markets, heightening of awareness for ecofriendly products, availability of land for bamboo plantation development, strong support from various government and private organizations, and the inherent ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Filipino entrepreneur/worker (Lantayona, 2012).

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7

Looking into the Future of Bamboo

Bamboo’s future in the construction and furniture industry

In 2010, global trade in bamboo and bamboo products was worth US$7B and the estimate for 2017 is that the value of worldwide trade will increase to US$17B. Of the current $7B annual trade, China’s share is at US$5.5B, of which 95% is covered by traditional markets. These include handicrafts, blinds, bamboo shoots, chopsticks, and traditional bamboo furniture, the latter accounting for US$1.1B of the total trade. Wood substitutes such as flooring, panels, and non-traditional furniture are categorized as emerging markets. As wood supply becomes scarcer, an expansion of the market for wood substitutes is highly anticipated (Mayank, 2008). The Philippines is ranked as the world's fifth largest exporter of bamboo and rattan products, after China, European Union, Indonesia and Vietnam (http://www.niccep.dti.gov. ph/cluster.php?code=1), a position which the country intends to maintain or even surpass as efforts build up to move the bamboo industry forward. In 2010, the estimated local demand for bamboo poles was 3.5 million for furniture and 575,000 poles for handicraft, but with pole production reaching only about 928,000 that year (Please see Table 2.1), the huge shortfall of more than 3M poles is appalling. Surely, the emerging engineered-bamboo products industry will be hard put to meet customer orders if the supply of bamboo poles cannot cope with the raw materials required even for traditional products alone. As human population in the Philippines and abroad continues to grow, demand for furniture and home furnishings will also rise. Because of President B. Aquino’s Executive Order (EO) 23 which bans logging in natural forests, and with the supply of wood from fast-growing timber in plantations hardly making a dent on the wood

Chapter 7 Looking into the Future of Bamboo

requirement for primary products such as lumber and plywood, alternative materials such as bamboo, in solid or in engineered form, will have to be utilized to make downstream products such as panels, floor tiles, and furniture. The local construction industry is also experiencing a boom, thanks to the inflow of money from overseas Filipino workers whose remittances are invested in construction of homes or acquisition of property. Engineer Manalo, 2012 President of the Philippine Construction Association, predicted a boom of 10-11% in the local construction industry for the next three years. Certainly, a lot of wood materials will be required, and this presents an opportunity for the use of bamboo to meet the anticipated construction industry requirements. Already, “lumber” from bamboo can be sourced through the internet, and two examples of these products are shown below. Available on line (http://www.bambooindustry.com/bamboo-plywood) is bamboo lumber described as follows: in horizontal, vertical and strand woven with a length is 3000mm, and its thickness is from 16mm to 42mm (Figures 7.1 & 7.2).

Figure 7.1. Bamboo Lumber – Solid; Color: Caramel; Size: 2000 × 200 × 40mm

Figure 7.2. Bamboo Lumber – Strand; Color: Natural; Size: 1870 × 104 × 140mm

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Making the most out of bamboo The enormous global attention being received by bamboo and bamboo products is credited to the material’s economic and environmental values and to its versatility. There is a broad range of structural applications open to bamboo in view of its inherent strength properties and the relative ease with which it can be processed. Its tensile strength when laminated can be harnessed in building bridges and other loadbearing structures. It is widely used for handicraft and furniture, in agriculture and fisheries, in food processing both as a tool for cooking and for providing that pleasurable sensation when food is seen or consumed as barbecued item on sticks made of bamboo. Other uses of bamboo from the past are as musical instruments, trays and baskets, animal traps and spears or fishing rods. Emerging uses of the plant are for landscaping and ornamental purposes. Novel and innovative uses of the bamboo pole are as component material of clothing, bikes, cars, and computers, either as sole material or in combination with other products such as plastic, iron, fabric, and wood. Novelty products from bamboo are shown in the following figures (Figures 7.3 & 7.4).

Figure 7.3. Dell’s bamboo encased computer (http://www.techeblog.com)

Figure 7.4. ASUS bamboo laptop (http://www.crispgreen.com)

The China Daily described the eight-ton bamboo bridge (Figure 7.5) in Hunan Province, China, as the first of its kind when it was opened to traffic on December 12, 2007. The bridge is supported by concrete materials. To protect the bamboo from the deleterious effects of sun and rain, the bamboo was combined with grayish 95


silver-colored waterproof materials. A duplicate bridge was constructed in the campus of Hunan University but with much higher capacity strength of 90 tons. According to its designer and engineer, Yan Xiao, a professor at the University of Southern California, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the bridge would last up to 20 years but took only a month to construct. Compared with steel, the construction cost was 50% less with the bamboo structure (http://viterbi.usc.edu).

Figure 7.5. Eight-ton capacity, ten-meter bridge with bamboo components (http://viterbi.usc.edu).

Professor Yan Xiao also came up with a high capacity bamboo foot bridge (Figure 7.6), for use in rural China. Prof. Yan Xiao strongly believes that partial replacement of concrete or steel materials with bamboo would help lessen global environmental problems. Green vehicles with bamboo components Creativity and innovation of designers have been expressed through prototype vehicles using bamboo combined with other materials. One such car was developed using combined materials of bamboo, rattan, steel and carbon fiber by Filipino world-renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue and German product designer Albrecht Birkner drew raves at an exhibit in Milan, Italy in 2011. The designers 96


claim that the vehicle, which they named Phoenix, can last from five to twenty years depending on how long a person can keep a car (Fig. 7.7).

Figure 7.6. View from underneath a foot bridge made from bamboo.

Figure 7.7. Phoenix, the car made from bamboo and rattan and designed by Filipino furniture designer, Kenneth Cobonpue. (www.inhabitat.com)

Japanese designers have also been exploring the use of bamboo in car making. At Kyoto University, Japan, scientists took advantage of the strength of bamboo to 97


develop a single-seat electric car called “BamGoo” (Fig. 7.8). The 60-kg electric car can run for 30 miles on a single charge. Another Japanese-designed car is shown in Figure 7.9. It is also made from bamboo and powered by electricity. The MeGuru, as it is called, can travel up to a distance of 24 miles at a speed of 24 mph. One can own such a car for the price of US $10,00

Figure 7.8. The BamGoo http://www.ecofriend.com

Figure 7.9. The MeGuru (http://www.carbuzz.com)

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Still from Asia, the Thais participated in a car exhibition called “Retrofuturism: The Car Design of J Mays” in Los Angeles, USA. The car which is simply called MA, is made up of futuristic combination of materials: bamboo, aluminum and carbon-fibre (Figure 7.10). This vehicle comes in more than 500-piece kit in order to put together. It has no welds but used 364 titanium bolts hold it together (http://www.chiangmaimail.com).

Figure 7.10. The MA car from Thailand (July 2, 2012)

Other car prototypes with bamboo as components are shown in Figures 7.11-13. Rinspeed BamBoo (Figure 7.11) was exhibited at the Geneva car show in 2011. It has bamboo fibers in some of its interior components but with conventional metal shell for its body. The model shown in Figure 7.12 was designed by Kleist Frank, and joined the Renault 4 Ever competition, where it placed fourth. It has an allbamboo frame and is powered by four electric engines in each wheel. The car, Epoch (Figure 7.13) with body parts made from bamboo, was designed by Rob Dolton's. It can run up to a speed of 124 mph according to its makers.

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Figure 7.11. Rinspeed BamBoo (http://www.carbuzz.com)

Figure 7.12. YikanaRenault 4 Bambu (http://www.carbuzz.com)

)

Figure 7.13. The Epoch (http://www.carbuzz.com

Bike and Motor scooter with bamboo parts Bikes made with bamboo component parts come in different forms and features. Examples are shown in Figures 7.14 to 15. A French firm, Fritsch-Durisotti designed the bamboo electric scooter-bike combo shown in Figure 7.14. Its frame is made of bamboo. It has a speed of 35 km/hr and can travel a distance of about 40 kilometers before maintenance. To start the scooter, the rider has to push off with manual power before the electric motor could start. The other bike (Figure 7.15) was designed by an Australian student.

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Figure 7.14 The T20 Bamboo Scooter (http://www.treehugger.com)

Figure 7.15. Ajiro Bamboo Velobike (http://www.treehugger.com , 2011)

Other non-traditional uses of bamboo Apart from being used for bicycles and cars, the bamboo pole can also be a source of fiber for clothing (Figure 7.16a-b), or linen (Fig. 7.16c). Bamboo fiber is claimed to produce fabric which is softer and more comfortable than the finest cottons. The fabric has natural anti-bacteria properties because the plant itself has an anti-bacteria and bacteriostatic bi-agent called “kun” (http://www.thebambooshirt.com). Even in its textile form, the fabric prevents the growth of bacteria so it doesn’t get smelly. The fiber has natural hollow channels that allow moisture to evaporate and keep the person wearing it dry (http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk). Bamboo fiber-based clothing with 70% bamboo fiber and 30% cotton or spandex include men’s and women’s shirt, women undergarments, children’s clothing, men’s boxer shorts, sweaters, socks, among others. The bamboo fiber can also be used as material for linen, such as bed sheet. Still another use is in making what is called recovery wear, body shaper, bamboo corset or binder which is worn by women after giving birth. It is made up of the following contents: 12% polyester, 48% nylon, 20% rubber and 20% bamboo charcoal. As advertised, the bamboo coal textile fiber can release remote far infrared which boosts blood circulation (http://mamaway.multiply.com).

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(a) Women’s shirt (c) bed sheet

(b) Men’s shirt

(c) bed sheet

(d) as corset or binder. Figure 7.16 (a-d). Uses of bamboo fiber in clothing or apparel. Sources: (a-c) http://www.bambooclothes.com/; (d) http://mamaway.multiply.com

Bamboo surf boards In Hawaii, where surfing is a popular sport, bamboo surf boards are made up of up to four layers of bamboo/epoxy laminate in hi-stress areas over a 60 psi medium density foam. Its finish uses a propriety semi-gloss film. The price of the board shown in Figure 7.17 is $125 per foot length of bamboo 102


.

Fig. 7.17 Hawaiian-made surfboards containing bamboo (http://bamboosurfboardshawaii.com).

Figure 7.18. Philippine-made surfboard which can be procured through the internet (http://www.sulit.com.ph).

In the Philippines, the townsfolk of Lanuza, Surigao del Sur are into bamboo surfboard-making that are of export quality. A nine foot-long board (Figure 7.18) takes about a month to finish (http://www.mb.com.ph). It can also be ordered through the internet at a price of PhP 15,500.00 (http://www.sulit.com.ph). 103


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8

Creating an Environment for a More Competitive E-Bamboo Products Industry

Policies that affect the bamboo resources: Making them responsive to industry’s needs As a natural resource, bamboo belongs to a class called non-timber forest products (NTFP), which the glossary section of the Philippine Forestry Statistics defines as “including all forest products except timber.” As a consequence of its classification as a forest product, all the various facets of bamboo, from nursery establishment, production, harvesting, transport, and utilization, are under the DENR’s official jurisdiction. Such a stance is based on the presumption that the product is mainly extracted from the country’s forestlands. The development of NTFPs is high on the agenda of government, as these resources are viewed as a means towards enhancing the country’s economic and ecological benefits (EO No. 318, Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Philippines, 2004). Through the years, the lives of Filipinos, regardless of whether they belong to indigenous groups or have already been assimilated into the mainstream of Philippine society, have been associated with the use and consumption of NTFPs including bamboo. As mentioned, the classification of bamboo as a NTFP means that it is subject to regulation by the DENR. Therefore, unlike agricultural crops that can be planted, grown, harvested, transported, and processed by the owners as they please, for bamboo, all these activities are subject to approval and monitoring, and the pole as the end-product, to taxation by the DENR. This is especially the case when the bamboo is naturally growing, or is obtained from forestlands. However, according to Virtucio (personal communication, 2012), the most important commercial species of bamboo in the country, kawayan tinik, is largely cultivated in A&D lands and that only Buho remains as the species of commercial value that can 105

Chapter 8 Creating a More Competitive Environment

be extracted from the forest. For this reason, Virtucio and other bamboo experts no longer see the need for the DENR to regulate bamboo. The full development of bamboo as a commercial crop hinges on its delisting as a forest product in order for it to be no longer subject to DENR’s rules and regulations. Unlike rattan, for which the DENR has specific policy issuance (DAO 1989-04 – Revised Regulations Governing Rattan Resources) purportedly to insure that the various species of rattan are protected and not wantonly exploited beyond their capacity to regenerate themselves, there is no similar, specific policy on bamboo that has been issued by the department. Thus, when a client of the DENR visits the office for bamboo-related activities, such as to establish a bamboo plantation within the forest or to transport bamboo poles, the actions of the DENR will be based on general rules which are deemed applicable or appropriate to bamboo as well. We discuss below some of the general policies with provisions that are relevant to bamboo, starting with the planting of bamboo in forestlands, especially in tenured areas. For a more detailed description of these policies, the reader is referred to Dolom et al., (2011). The act of investing in bamboo plantations in forestlands under different types of tenurial agreements is guaranteed by several DENR administrative orders. For instance, DAO 1991-42 allows the production of bamboo in industrial forest plantations (IFPs), while DAO 1997-04 requires the planting, in lands under the Industrial Forest Management Program (IFMP), of bamboo among other NTFPs, for the purpose of supporting processing and manufacturing facilities. The products are presumably exempt from forest charges as well. Furthermore, lands specifically identified for enrichment planting or for use as plantations of rattan and bamboo include both sides of major rivers and streams as provided for by DAO 1999-53. Additionally, areas that have slopes greater than 50%, provided they are suitable for development as production forest, can be planted with bamboo through enrichment planting (DAO 1991-31). Forestlands under Socialized Integrated Forest Management Agreement (SIFMA) are also eligible for planting bamboo in no less than 60% of the area, with the added incentive of allowing the SIFMA holders to own the products of their labor. 106


When it comes to harvesting of bamboo as a forest product, the state, through the DENR, reserves the prerogative to withhold this privilege if, in the view of duly authorized officials, this could lead to the destruction of the forest. The outdated FAO No. 11issued in 1970 (Revised Forestry License Regulations), is still the policy directive that is consulted on matters pertaining to the issuance of permits on harvesting bamboo from forestlands, which the order has tagged as a “minor forest product.” In CBFM areas, the harvesting of bamboo in production areas is permitted through the resource use permit (RUP) for as long as the people’s organization has a previously affirmed community resource management framework (CRMF) and annual work plan (AWP) (DAO 2000-29). In Social Forestry Areas, a 100% inventory of planted bamboo is required before harvesting, and is allowed for a maximum period not to exceed six months, subject to availability of poles to be harvested (DAO 1996-26). Then in transporting bamboo poles, various documents are also required, regardless of the origin of the poles; otherwise the poles will be subject to confiscation. DAO No. 1993-59 prescribes that the Community Environment and Natural Resource Office (CENRO) shall issue a certificate of non-timber forest products origin (CNFPO) that shows the volume, type of product, place of loading, conveyance used, date of transport, source and destination/consignee, of products to be transported. In addition, a shipper’s tally sheet must also accompany the CNFPO. However, if the bamboo poles were sourced from private or A&D lands, a certificate of verification (CV) shall be issued by the CENRO. A joint declaration by the shipper and the conveyance used in the transport is also required, called a Certificate of Transport Agreement (CTA), as proof that both parties are aware of what the conveyance is used for. Official receipts of payments of taxes levied under RA 7161 (1991), which is required of naturally-growing bamboo, shall also accompany the shipment. Without these documents, the bamboo poles being transported will be deemed illegal and can be confiscated by the government. The rule requiring sales invoice/delivery receipts applies even for bamboo poles transported in finished, semi-finished, or knock down form. It must also be emphasized that color-coded Certificate of Origin Forms (COF) are to be used, in compliance with DAO 1994-7. For transporting NTFPs including bamboo, 107


red COFs shall accompany the shipment. In addition to the information that the COF must contain as required by DAO 1993-59, the red-colored COF must also show the expected duration of shipment. The COF is valid only for a period not exceeding 15 days from the date of issuance, or after unloading or delivery of the shipment at the point of destination, whichever comes first. DENR Memorandum Circular 1994-21 further modified the guidelines on the issuance of certificates of origin of forest products by requiring CENROs of origin to notify the CENRO of destination of forthcoming shipments particularly the COF number and all other information contained in the COF. The MC also instructs the CENRO to verify, before issuing the COF, that (a) the forest products are legally cut; (b) the volume is within allowable limit; (c) quantity, species, personality/authority of the shipper; and (d) the payment of application fees. The CENRO of destination, on the other hand, is obliged to notify the CENRO of origin within 72 hours of arrival of the shipment. In rare instances, the Secretary of the DENR can suspend the issuance of permits for the cutting of non-timber forest products, including bamboo, in selected regions of the country. This was the case when then Minister Peña issued a telegram (March 23, 1983) to district foresters to suspend issuance of permits for the harvesting and transport of anahaw trunks and bamboo poles in Regions 3, 4 and 5. This was later lifted through DAO 1987-58 during the term of Secretary Factoran. As a forest product, the harvesting of naturally-growing bamboo is subject to forest charges. This rule is embodied in PD 705 (1975, Revised Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines) and reiterated in RA 7161 (October, 1991) which pegged the rate of forest charges on bamboo at 10% of the actual free-on-board (FOB) market price. The law also prescribed the manner of determining the FOB by a committee composed of representatives of the DENR, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), DTI, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and representatives of the wood and furniture industry. Subsequently, various DAOs (1991-56, 1993-39, 1994-40, 1995-19, and 2000-63) were issued from 1991 to 2000 that adjusted the rates presumably based on prevailing market prices. In the case of bamboo, the forest charge is dependent on the size and species, as well as region in the country, although no differences in the forest charges rates among the different regions had been prescribed thus far. As part of the 108


incentives for the use of bamboo in reforestation, harvesting of planted bamboo poles is exempted from forest charges. However, despite the exemption from forest charges, application and license fees are still imposed on harvesting bamboo and other nontimber forest products as per DAO 1993-11. The formula to compute the amount of the license fee, L, given the prevailing market price, P and the allowable cut, AC is as follows: L = 0.5% × P × AC. The charge for the application fee is PhP20.00 per 100 units, but should not be less than Php250.00. Current forest charges rates as per DAO 2000-63 (and affirmed by a Memorandum from the Secretary dated October 3, 2001) are Php6.00 per pole of kawayan tinik and Kawayan kiling; Php3.00 each for bayog, PhP2.00 for buho and bolo, PhP1.50 per piece for other erect species, and PhP0.50 per piece of climbing bamboo. Current rates are at most 120 times higher than the rate prescribed in DAO 1987-80, which used to charge only PhP5.00 per 100 pieces of bamboo harvested from public forest (or PhP0.05 per piece). The high current rates of forest charges may deter farmers from collecting bamboo from the forest, as the payment will eat up 30% of the farm gate value they can receive from each pole. Apart from exempting planted bamboo poles from the collection of forest charges, other incentives have been offered for those investing in bamboo plantations. DAO 1991-42 provides, for example, that amount expended in establishing, developing and operating an IFMA prior to reaching production state are tax deductible. The DAO further states that the IFMA holder is entitled to all applicable incentives under the Omnibus Investment Code and Sec. 36 of PD 705. The IFMA holder is likewise vested with the right to harvest, sell and utilize planted trees and other products (including bamboo) in the IFMA at a specified time and volume based on a development plan approved by the DENR. The DAO further provides that there will be no restriction in terms of quantity and volume of logs and other forest products from IFMA plantations that the holder may wish to export. DAO 1997-4 reiterated the right of IFMA holders to export forest products from the IFMA plantation, but in accordance with the government allocation system. The “right” given to IFMA holders to harvest, sell and utilize such trees and crops that they themselves established, in whatever marketable form(s) was categorically affirmed by DAO 1999-53. In a related order applicable to community based forest management 109


agreement (CBFMA) areas, DAO 1996-29 states that the CBFMA holders are entitled to receive all income and proceeds from the sustainable utilization of forest resources within the CBFMA area, subject only to the provisions of the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act (RA 7586 of 1992). The NIPAS law complicates the process for utilizing and benefiting from products that are listed as endangered or protected species, which can include bamboo and related non-timber resources. EO No. 879 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 14, 2010, which among others, created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) has been touted as the “salvation” of the Philippine bamboo industry. The order seeks to promote the development of the bamboo industry by directing the use of bamboo for at least twenty five (25%) percent of the desk and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools and that the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures and other construction requirements of government facilities shall be prioritized. Other salient features of the order include the requirement that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its attached agencies, to use bamboo as planting material for at least twenty percent (20%) of its annual reforestation and rehabilitation areas especially in provinces and towns which are engaged in or have the potential to engage in bamboo-based industries or where trees are difficult to grow because of poor site quality, susceptibility to erosion or adverse and steep gradients. The continuous generation of bamboo production technology for transfer and dissemination to farmers is also encouraged by the order. While the intention of the order is good and its promulgation is well-received by the bamboo sector, it suffers from the perception of being a “midnight” order having been released towards the end of the term of the former president. This stigma could be a reason for the lack of enthusiasm by the present administration to implement its provisions and / or to fund relevant programs as stipulated in the order. In fact, the draft implementing rules and regulation (IRR) for the Order has yet to be officially approved, more than two years from the signing of the order. But a more basic question that has to be settled is the classification of bamboo as a natural resource, which under present laws, is still supposed to be within the jurisdiction of DENR. The 110


order provides that the chair of the PBIDC shall be the DTI Secretary, and whether this legally and technically transfers jurisdiction over activities pertaining to the management, development, and regulation of bamboo or whether the order has in effect, declassified bamboo as a non-timber forest product is still subject to clarification and negotiation between the DTI and the DENR, and maybe even with the DA. The planting of timber and bamboo by the private sector has been an avowed goal of the DENR in order to rehabilitate the country’s denuded forests. In its directives to attract the private sector to invest in these activities, the DENR in no uncertain terms and in not just one but in multiple administrative orders, emphasized the right of the investors to harvest, sell and make a return on their investments. Sadly, these guarantees by government appear only good on paper but not on the ground, because of the arbitrary suspensions and the obstacles that the DENR imposes when planted forest crops reach mature and are ready to harvest. Commercial varieties of bamboo, such as Kawayan tinik grow well in both forest and A&D lands. More farmers will be encouraged to plant these species to meet the demand for newly-emerging manufactured products such as engineered-bamboo if bamboo poles are freed from the restrictive guidelines of DENR when it comes to harvesting and transporting these materials. There is potential for abuse in implementing these guidelines, even for planted bamboo poles coming from A&D lands. If bamboo is deregulated, the harassment of bamboo poles in transit, by some unscrupulous officials in government checkpoints along the highways can be minimized. The positive effects will be felt in terms of increased planting of bamboo, increased availability of bamboo poles that can be used as raw materials for the industry, and increased use of bamboo products for construction and furniture that will eventually ease the demand for timber and wood. It is in this light that we mention EO 23 which is derided by the private forestry sector as this order declares a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and residual forests in the entire country. Signed by President Aquino on February 1, 2011, the EO’s goals are to “protect the remaining forest cover areas of the country not only to prevent flash floods and hazardous flooding but also to 111


preserve biodiversity, protect threatened habitats and sanctuaries of endangered and rare species, and allow natural regeneration of residual forests and development of plantation forests;” and “to arrest the degradation, pollution and contamination of the river and water systems and to stem the wanton destruction of the forest resources.” While planted trees are exempted from the moratorium, forest industry players claim that there are not yet enough planted timber to meet the needs of the wood-using industries. Bamboo, re-configured as wood, for example as engineered-bamboo products, can help fill the shortage in wood products. Corollary to EO 23 is EO 26, issued by President Aquino on February 24, 2011 which declares the implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP), as a National Convergence Initiative (NCI) of the DENR, DA and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and targets the planting of 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 M hectares of land in six years. The EO is in line with the state’s policy of “pursuing sustainable development for poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.” Bamboo is included as one of the species to be planted in areas considered eligible for planting under the NGP. Because of the potential of bamboo for generating livelihood, the NGP affords an opportunity for further expanding the country’s bamboo resource base, which is a prerequisite to the further development of bamboo-based enterprises. Formulating standards for more competitive e-bamboo products The first bamboo-based panel was developed in China in the 1940s. Since then, some 28 different types of panel products have been developed in Asia Pacific countries and in Costa Rica, which collaborated with Canada. Among the products developed, only a few like bamboo mat board and bamboo strip board are the direct outcomes of detailed investigations and industry scale trials. Along with product development, standards for engineered-bamboo products were also formulated, such as the state standard of the People’s Republic of China for E-bamboo boards. Among the technical properties considered were moisture content, resistance to delamination, and bending strength (Ganapathy, 1995). 112


In the Philippines, no set of standards for e-bamboo products has yet been approved for general use. It is for this reason that PCARRD has funded a study as part of the Bamboo Industry Program, to conduct tests that will provide the technical basis for the development of standards for e-bamboo products made locally. In the study, samples of locally-manufactured and imported engineered-bamboo products were obtained by Alipon et al. (2011) for the purpose of assessing their properties. Collected for evaluation by the team were locally-produced engineered-bamboo products intended for use as bamboo flooring, from the following product makers with their respective locations: (1) Buglas Bamboo Institute (BBI), Dauin, Negros Oriental; (2) SidlakPinoy, Inc., Bukidnon; (3) SLEM, Leyte; (4) Bamboza in Iloilo; (5) (6) UP Visayas, Iloilo; and (7) Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Batac, Ilocos Norte. The imported e-bamboo product sample was obtained from one of the biggest builders’ depots. FPRDI in Los Baños also fabricated engineered-bamboo products using Kawayan tinik and giant bamboo as raw materials and the properties were also tested to provide information on engineered-bamboo products prepared under laboratory conditions. E-bamboo for flooring is the most commonly available in the market, and currently the most popular, hence, collection was focused on this type of engineered-bamboo product. The properties tested were strength in bending given in terms of the Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and the Modulus of Elasticity (MOE), hardness, shear strength, and moisture content. Figure 8.1 below shows e-bamboo product samples soaked in water and then conditioned to determine resistance to delamination. Figure 8.2 shows the use of the Universal testing machine (UTM) in determining hardness as well as the strength of engineered-bamboo in bending and shear. Table 8.1 shows the results of the tests done for the different e-bamboo planks from the respective e-bamboo product makers mentioned earlier. In general, e-bamboo products made by local manufactures in the Philippines gave test values that were comparable with imported products.

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a

b

Figure 8.1. Delamination test of e-bamboo products. (a) Soaking in water for 6 hrs, and (b) Oven-drying for 18 hrs at 40 + 30C.

a

c

b Figure 8.2 Configuration of test samples to determine different mechanical properties of engineered-bamboo products: a) hardness; b) static bending; and c) shear test.

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Table 8.1. Physical and mechanical properties of imported and locally produced Ebamboo. E-bamboo Product Maker

MOR MOE (MPa) (GPa) Imported 77.2 6.9 SidlakPinoy 139.53 13.55 SLEM Cooperative 42.09 5.21 Bamboza 96.86 13.6 Buglas Bamboo Institute 94.56 13.34 UP Visayas 78.84 MMSU 98.02 13.32 FPRDI, KT 121.57 13.93 FPRDI, GB 93.01 13.45 KT – Kawayan tinik; GB – Giant bamboo.

Properties HARDNESS (kN) 5.72 7.14 2.55 4.62 4.58 4.52 4.31 6.3 5.95

SHEAR (kg/cm2) 11.59 12.45 16.27 5.8 5.4 7.19 10.74 13.22 12.17

MC (%) 9.26 11.84 13.5 10.74 9.63 14.72 10.44 10.3 10.47

On the basis of the test results obtained from locally-available e-bamboo floor panels, the minimum set of values was defined which will serve as benchmarks for the product standard to be formulated for e-bamboo. A draft set of standards for engineered-bamboo products was thus prepared using the data generated by the project of Alipon et al., 2011 by an Ad hoc technical committee tasked by the DTI. A copy of the draft is appended as Annex A for perusal by concerned and interested stakeholders. The set of values which is deemed useful for the development of Philippine e-bamboo product standards is shown in Table 8.2. As for any product, having a set of standards is important in order to compel manufacturers to produce products whose quality is expected to meet end-use requirements. Product standards also protect consumers from purchasing sub-standard products, i.e., products that cannot conform to one or two parameters important for the product’s performance in service, durability, and the safety of the end-users. It should also be borne in mind that standards are not meant to protect only the consumers. Having a generally-accepted set of product standards also helps manufacturers consistently produce quality finished-products. In due time, the foreign market will take notice of the manufacturers’ adherence to standards, and

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chances are, they will soon be enticed to consider importing Philippine-made ebamboo products. Table 8.2. Minimum range of values that can provide the technical basis for development of standards for E-bamboo flooring materials. Range of Mean Values Mean Values (Average Mean) Property, Based on statistical unit FPRDI FPRDI evaluation of all data Kawayan Giant from various sources tinik bamboo including FPRDI Static Bending Modulus of Rupture, MPa 121.57 93.01 93 – 98 (95.36) Modulus of Elasticity, GPa 13.92 13.45 13.32 – 13.93 (Avg. 13.53) Hardness, kN 6.30 5.95 5.72 – 6.30 (Avg. 6.09) Shear, kg/cm2 13.22 12.17 10.74 – 13.22 (Avg.12.25) *Minimum Bamboo Failure, % *Average Bamboo Failure, % *Delamination, % **Moisture Content, %

Passed 10.30

Passed 10.47

25 50 Passed 10.26 – 10.47 (Avg. 10.43) ** Maximum Value

*PNS 196 – 192 and PNS ISO 12466-1 & 2;

Before we leave this topic on standards for e-bamboo products, it is worthwhile to mention about the role of e-bamboo products in construction that enables the LEED certification of the building. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” and refers to a system developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for third party verification that a “building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.” The LEED framework guides building owners and operators to identify and implement practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Thus, e-bamboo products per se 116


are not LEED-certified, but their use in the construction of the building can earn credits towards the building’s accreditation as LEED-compliant. This implies that apart from satisfying physical and mechanical property testing, the entire process of producing e-bamboo products, from growing the poles to the final assembly of the slats, must conform to standards that will qualify their use in green construction. To achieve this, bamboo should be grown following sustainable management practices; the adhesive used must not lead to emissions of harmful chemical such as formaldehyde, among other considerations to ensure that the e-bamboo product can fit the label as a “green” product. Understanding what the market for e-bamboo products wants To attract customers and make a sale, e-bamboo product manufacturers must understand what the market wants. Towards this end, the project forged linkages and made interviews with developers of subdivisions, condominiums, high rise buildings, furniture designers, contractors and architects to know more about their requirements for E-bamboo products to meet architectural, construction and design needs. This would also help verify the demand for E-bamboo product and provide additional information that will guide the e-bamboo industry in developing bamboo-based products that suit customer preferences. The goal is to make engineered-bamboo products with wood-resembling properties to contribute to a more sustainable construction and furniture industry in the Philippines. Information gathered dealt with product awareness, marketing strategies and opportunities to promote the product, willingness to use engineered-bamboo products in real estate projects, and the factors that could affect or influence the use of engineered-bamboo products Although engineered-bamboo is a relatively new product in the Philippines, the respondents were aware of the availability of engineered-bamboo products in the market. The demand for engineered-bamboo products, however, is mainly due to its looks and aesthetic appeal and only those who can afford it or people who have the purchasing power are able to use e-bamboo in their homes or projects. For those who have already used e-bamboo, the purpose was mainly for aesthetic value.

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The reasons cited for not yet using e-bamboo were the following: 1) the product is expensive; 2) lack of adequate supply to meet the requirements of the project; 3) lack of information about the qualities and properties of e-bamboo particularly on its endurance against weather, fire and performance in service. Potential users of engineered-bamboo products were concerned about the perceived short durability of the material. The service life of bamboo is generally believed to be short for any worthwhile investment. This is due to the fact that bamboo poles are highly susceptible to the attack of decay fungi and powder-post beetles because of the presence of starch in bamboo. Among the qualities of construction materials available in the market today, respondents want e-bamboo products that exhibit the following qualities: termite resistance, environment-friendly, strong and durable. The appearance and texture of the product was considered highly important in as much as e-bamboo is usually procured and used mainly for its aesthetic appeal or value. Table 8.3 shows how the respondents ranked the following product properties for engineered-bamboo. Another characteristic that could be an advantage of e-bamboo over other construction and building materials is flexibility. This meant that the use of ebamboo should not be limited to interior designs that are of Asian character. Ebamboo manufacturers must dispel perceptions that e-bamboo is a highly specialized product that caters only to a limited market.

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Table 8.3. Properties of e-bamboo products and how important they are to potential ebamboo products customers. Product Properties of ebamboo products Termite resistance Environment-friendly Strength/durability Appearance Texture Resistance to water Dimensional uniformity Machinability/workability Finishing properties Weight Other important properties

Importance given to property Very highly important Very highly important Very highly important Very Highly important Very Highly important Highly important Highly important Moderately important Moderately important Moderately important Flexibility (versatility)

In terms of marketing strategies that should be used to promote the use of engineeredbamboo, the potential customers believe that the traditional media (newspapers, trade journals and magazines, outdoor advertising, directories and flyers) will still help, although direct selling through the internet/website or e-marketing strategy should also be harnessed. Majority of consumers have access to modern communication technologies, and on-line marketing can be a means to reach more target clients and potential users globally. Direct marketing reduces the number of layers through which the e-bamboo passes through in the entire supply chain, which should then significantly reduce the price of e-bamboo in the market and make it more affordable to a wider range of consumers. Participating in trade fairs and exhibits can also be useful in marketing e-bamboo products, with a respondent saying that he was introduced to the product through a trade expo held in Shanghai, China in 2006.

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Efforts to promote e-bamboo products must highlight that it is a renewable and environment-friendly material. At present, the selection of building materials for the local construction industry is largely based on cost and durability. However, the emergence of sustainability as a key issue in the business necessitates that the environmental aspects of building materials must also become a significant selection criterion, as in the case of building LEED-certified structures. E-bamboo can very well fall under the category of environment-friendly material as its use can ease the pressure on the country’s dwindling forest resources. E-bamboo can also take advantage of “green consumerism” and the rising demand for green construction products. After-sales service as a marketing strategy will also attract clients to buy the product. This includes installation, warranty services, replacement, and technical advice. This strategy, which is important for a product that is just being introduced into the market, can build confidence about the product’s ease of installation, maintenance and durability. The constraints identified in mainstreaming e-bamboo as a viable alternative raw material for the construction and furniture industry sectors, were the following: (a) cost, as current prices are higher than wood and wood-based panels available in the market; (b) availability; and (c) limited use and applicability. Potential customers want e-bamboo products that can be used as component of tables, of shelves and cabinets, as shutters in modular kitchens, and as a material for flooring and as decorative panels for walls. Compared to traditional wood products and building materials available in the market, imported engineered-bamboo are much more expensive. The current retail price of imported engineered-bamboo flooring ranges from PhP 2,000-Php 2,900.00 per square meter including installation. Bamboza, the company based in Iloilo produces 300 e-bamboo planks per day measuring 1m × 4” × ¾”. The company sells its ebamboo products at PhP 150.00 per plank, semi-finished. Rough calculations show that locally produced e-bamboo will cost PhP 1,476.00/square meter. 120


Developing a Roadmap for the Philippine Bamboo Industry As a strategy to transform the country’s manufacturing, services, and agricultural sectors into globally-competitive and innovative industries, the DTI is spearheading the development and promotion of industry clusters as part of the Strategic Industry Development Program 2012. The program is in support of President Aquino’s social contract with the Filipino people to promote inclusive growth and employment by enhancing the conditions for increased competitiveness of small, medium and largescale enterprises. The program entails the development of industry roadmaps that will set targets for the short (2012-16), medium (2017-22) and long (2023-30) term industry goals to aid government in identifying strategies for trade and investment negotiations, and to guide investment promotion efforts. Engineered-bamboo is one of the six agricultural products included for strategic road mapping, to be undertaken with the private sector as lead convenor. Initial efforts to formulating the roadmap, in line with DTI’s action plan, was the holding of a Bamboo Roadmap workshop in Pampanga on May 15-16, 2012, which brought together many private sector representatives, researchers, scientists, and officials of national agencies and local government units with a stake in the development of bamboo in the country. The workshop was highlighted with the signing of a pledge of commitment by the workshop participants to contribute to the completion and realization of the Strategic Road Map for the development of the Philippine bamboo industry, as well as to “(a) advocate the passage of a law on bamboo, to amplify the gains of EO 879 and to help accelerate the comprehensive development of the Philippine bamboo industry; (b) promote the use of bamboo as a material for green construction and explore such other applications that will expand opportunities for bamboo plantation establishment, production, utilization and enterprise development; (c) strengthen institutional linkages and cooperation to hasten database and standards development, information exchange, sharing of facilities, and capacity building, among others; (d) engage other sectors (e.g., funding institutions, local government units, industry associations) to increase their stake into the bamboo industry; (e) participate (as an individual or as institution) in government initiatives that offer opportunities for expanding bamboo as a resource-base for national development (e.g., National Greening Program, R&D 121


initiatives, public-private sector partnership); and (f) highlight the social benefits of bamboo as well as its potential for climate change adaptation and disaster mitigation. Certainly, the development of a bamboo industry roadmap is a step in the right direction, considering the diversity and complexity of bamboo, both as a material and as basis for manufacturing enterprises. On one hand, there is a traditional bamboo products and handicrafts sector beset with problems associated with inconsistent product quality, unstable markets, and low end-product values. On the other hand, we have an emerging industrial bamboo sector needing investments in high technology, high value inputs, and skills development in order to keep pace with the more advanced neighboring countries such as China, India and Vietnam. The domestic and external challenges faced by the bamboo industry will be better addressed through the concerted action of bamboo stakeholders, which include land owners, bamboo farmers, traders, investors and financial institutions, as well as by government and the research community. The roadmap which the stakeholders will develop themselves will help provide the focus and direction to achieve better growth and sustainability of bamboo-based enterprises in the Philippines.

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Internet Sources ftp://ftp.fao.org (http://anythingaboutbamboo.blogspot.com http://balita.ph http://bamboo-identification.co.uk/html/leaves.html http://www.bambooindustry.com/bamboo-plywood http://www.bamboophil.org http://leoque.com http://mamaway.multiply.com http://newsinfo.inquirer.net http://ph.news.yahoo.com http://viterbi.usc.edu http://www.bambooclothes.com/ http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk http://bamboosurfboardshawaii.com http://www.carbuzz.com http://www.chiangmai-mail.com http://www.crispgreen.com http://www.ecofriend.com http://www.mb.com.ph http://www.niccep.dti.gov.ph/cluster.php?code=1 http://www.sulit.com.ph http://www.techeblog.com http://www.thebambooshirt.com http://www.treehugger.com http://www.wired.com Meniano, 2011 http://www.bworldonline.com (http://www.rystix.co.za/images/product/showpdf.cfm? id=18B5E810-1D092FEC-B66F13C6F62530E1&pdf=specifications). Osorio, 2011. Philippine Star. http://www.philstar.com (Templonuevo, nd, http://southcotabato.gov.ph). www.inhabitat.com www.un.org

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Annex A. Draft Philippine National Standards for Engineered-bamboo.

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

ANNEX B. Laws and Policy Issuances Cited in the Book No.

Date of Issuance

PD 705 RA 7161

1975 Oct. 10, 1991

RA 7586 EO 23

Feb. 1, 2011

EO 26

Feb. 24, 2011

EO 318

June 9, 2004

EO 879

May 14, 2010

FAO 11 DAO 1987-58

Aug. 5, 1987

DAO 1987-80

Dec. 28, 1987

DAO 1989-04 DAO 1991-31

Jan. 10, 1989 June 24, 1991

Title/Name Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines An act incorporating certain sections of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) by increasing the forest charges on timber and other forest products” NIPAS Act Declaring a Moratorium on the Cutting and Harvesting of Timber in the Natural and Residual Forests and Creating the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force Orders and declares the implementation of a National Greening Program as a government priority Promoting sustainable forest management in the Philippines Creating the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) to promote the bamboo industry development project and directing the use of bamboo for at least twenty five (25%) percent of the desk and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools and prioritizing the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures and other construction requirements of government facilities and allocating funds therefore and other purposes. Revised Forestry License Regulations Recall of the telegram directive of then Minister Teodoro Q. Peña suspending the issuance of permits for the cutting, transporting, disposition and utilization of Anahaw trunks or leaves and bamboos in Regions 3, 4 and 5. Regulations governing the measurement, assessment and payment of forest charges on timber and other forest products Revised regulations governing rattan resources Revised Guidelines and Contract Reforestation

137

No.

Date of Issuance

DAO 1991-56 DAO 1991-42

Oct. 29, 1991 July 25, 1991

DAO 1993-11

Mar. 2, 1993

DAO 1993-39

May 25, 1993

DAO 1993-59

Sept. 30, 1993

DAO 1994-07

Feb, 17, 1994

DAO 1994-40

Nov. 8, 1994

DAO 1995-19

June 16 1995

DAO 1996-26

Set. `10, 1996

DAO 1996-29

Oct. 10, 1996

DAO 1997-04

Mar. 4, 1997

DAO 1999-53

Oct. 3, 2001

DAO 2000-29

Mar. 14, 2000

Title/Name Interim rates of forest charges pursuant to RA 7161 Revised Regulations and Guidelines Governing the Establishment and Development of Industrial Forest Plantations (IFPs) Guidelines for the imposition of application and license fees covering minor forest products which are exempted from payment of forest charges pursuant to RA 7161 Rates of forest charges pursuant to RA No. 7161 and based on the FOB market price of forest products Revised Rules and Regulations Governing the Transport/Shipment of Logs, Lumber, Plywood, Veneer, Non-Timber Forest Products and Other Forest-Based Products/Commodities. Revised Guidelines Governing the Issuance of Certificate of Origin for Logs, Timber, Lumber and Non-timber Forest Products. Rates of Forest Charges Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7161) and Based on the FOB Market Price of Forest Products Rates of Forest Charges Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7161 (R.A. 7161) and Based on the FOB Market Price of Forest Products. Revised Guidelines Governing the Harvest and Transport of Planted Trees and Non-Timber Products Within Social Forestry Area Rules and Regulations for the Implementation of Executive Order 263, Otherwise Known as the Community-Based Forest Management Strategy (CBFMS) Rules and Regulations Governing the Industrial Forest Management Program Clarification on DENR Administrative Order No. 95-19 Guidelines Regulating the Harvesting and Utilization of Forest Products Within CommunityBased Forest Management Areas.

138

No.

Date of Issuance

DAO 2000-63

Sept. 17, 2000

Memorandum from the Secretary

Oct. 3, 2001

Title/Name New Rates of Forest Charges Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7161 (R.A. 7161) and Based on the 1999 FOB Market Price of Forest Products. Clarification on DENR Administrative Order No. 95-19

139

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