The Surprising Power of Pineapple Waste

A remarkable discovery: researchers from Vietnam and Singapore have created an insulating foam whose properties surpass those of traditional industrial materials like styrofoam by a factor of three. Remarkably, the mysterious foam is made entirely from pineapple peels and leaves.

How did the researchers even come up with this idea? It's a valid question, and let's admit, you've probably wondered yourself—what can be done with the astronomical amount of peels and leaves that often end up as waste? Spurred by this inquiry, the researchers explored how pineapple waste could be repurposed to benefit society instead of being an environmental burden.

After numerous attempts at grinding down leaves and peels and mixing them with polyvinyl alcohol, the researchers finally reached their desired outcome. They dissolved the mixture in distilled water, baked it in an industrial oven, then cooled and froze it. The result was a strange, yellow foam. A deeper examination of the foam revealed it to be an excellent noise insulator, with insulating capabilities three times superior to styrofoam and other industrial insulators.