Innovative Development of Coir–Banana Fibre Composites for Oil Spill Remediation

The oil and gas industry plays a vital role in global and Philippine economic development, supporting transportation, industry, and agriculture. However, oil spills pose serious environmental and socio-economic risks. Accidental releases from vessels and drilling operations contaminate marine ecosystems, harm wildlife and human health, and damage coastal habitats. In the Philippines, vessel-related incidents—such as the Guimaras Strait spill (2006) and the February 2023 spill—highlight the continuing threat of oil pollution.Conventional response methods, including booms, skimmers, and chemical dispersants, are widely used but have limitations. They can be costly, less effective in rough conditions, and may introduce non-biodegradable materials that further impact marine environments.Natural fibers such as coconut coir and banana fiber are abundant agricultural by-products in tropical regions and have demonstrated potential as oil sorbents due to their absorbent structure and surface properties. While these materials have been studied individually, limited research has examined their combined performance as a composite mat compared with common natural absorbents like sawdust.Therefore, this study aimed to develop a biodegradable oil-absorbing mat made from coconut coir and banana fibers and evaluate its oil absorption capacity relative to standard natural absorbents.