PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS

Acceptability of Papercrete Pots As Alternative to Cement Pots

Macale, Felmehnie Rouzen-Heyz M., Pamon, Rhian Z., Rancap, Iannah Flor C.

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement in Research IV

Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School

Sta. Cruz, Laguna

Vanessa B. Villacarlos

Research Adviser
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 2

DEDICATION

This research work is dedicated to Our Almighty God, for the love, wisdom,
knowledge, and guidance in her everyday life.

A special feeling of gratitude to her loving parents, Jezrel Macale, and Aprhodite
Macale, who has always loved and supported her unconditionally in all the things
she does.

To her groupmate, Rhian, Iannah Flor, to her classmates and friends who are there
to remind her that she’s not doing it alone.

To the teachers that taught her what Research is, Ms. Richelle Ching, and
especially, Mrs. Vanessa Villacarlos who has been handling their section for 3
years.

To Mrs. Jennifer Talavera who gave her moral support to her students as
their homeroom teacher. She served as their guide and inspiration to do their
research with commitment.

She dedicates this research study to the future improvement in the paper industry
with the hope that the findings will be useful as a basis for the future researchers.

F.R.H.M.M
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 3

DEDICATION

This research work is dedicated to Our Almighty God, for the love, wisdom,
knowledge,

and guidance in her everyday life.

A special feeling of gratitude to her loving mother, Ginalyn Pamon who has
always

loved and supported her unconditionally in all the things she does.

To her groupmate, Felmehnie, Iannah Flor, to her classmates and friends who are
there to remind her that she’s not doing it alone.

To the teachers that taught her what Research is, Ms. Richelle Ching, and
especially, Mrs. Vanessa Villacarlos who has been handling their section for 3
years.

To Mrs. Jennifer Talavera who gave her moral support to her students as
their homeroom teacher. She served as their guide and inspiration to do their
research with commitment.

She dedicates this research study to the future improvement in the paper industry
with the hope that the findings will be useful as a basis for the future researchers.

R.Z.P
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 4

DEDICATION

This research work is dedicated to Our Almighty God, for the love, wisdom,
knowledge, and guidance in her everyday life.

A special feeling of gratitude to her loving parents, Flor Rancap and Feljohn
Rancap who have always loved and supported her unconditionally in all the things
she does.

To her brother, Ian who has never left her side in any struggles she takes.

To her groupmate, Felmehnie, Rhian, to her classmates and friends who are there
to remind her that she’s not doing it alone.

To the teachers that taught her what Research is, Ms. Richelle Ching, and
especially, Mrs. Vanessa Villacarlos who has been handling their section for 3
years.

To Mrs. Jennifer Talavera who gave her moral support to her students as
their homeroom teacher. She served as their guide and inspiration to do their
research with commitment.

She dedicates this research study to the future improvement in the paper industry
with the hope that the findings will be useful as a basis for the future researchers.

I.F.C.R
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With heartfelt appreciation and sincerest gratitude, the researcher would

like to give credits to these individuals who have contributed to the realization of
this project. Those who supervised and extended their valuable assistance in the
preparation for the completion of their project study.

The researchers would like to acknowledge their dearest parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Macale, Mr. and Mrs. Pamon, Mr. and Mrs. Rancap as well as their
respective siblings, and cousins for the love, moral support and providing their
needs throughout the whole study. They served as their inspiration to do better
and work with determination and dedication.

To Mrs. Vanessa Villacarlos who is very willing to give the researchers

suggestions in order to have favorable outcomes of the design of the project study.
Her patience in correcting mistakes is really appreciated in order to make the
study better.

To Mrs. Jennifer Talavera who gave her moral support to her students as
their homeroom teacher. She served as their guide and inspiration to do their
research with commitment.

And more than anything else, their Lord and Savior, Almighty God for His
unconditional presence throughout the whole process. For the undoubted
provision in all aspects needed by the researcher and all His blessings He has
given them.

The Researchers
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 6

Abstract

This study aims to prove whether papercrete pots are durable enough to

replace cement pots in terms of pot durability and water resistance. Given that

papercrete pots are more eco-friendly, we decided to test the papercrete pots.

Many waste can be found in our environment, thus this study explored how

papercrete pots can be a way of reducing paper waste. This study explored the

potential of papercrete pots as an alternative for the pure cement pots that can

help, particularly in reducing paper waste in our community. Three variables

containing different amounts of paper and cement, such as 200g, 400g, 600g of

paper and cement were used in the test, which determined the significant effects

of papercrete pots as an alternative for pure cement pots. At the end of the

experimentation, it was discovered that the amount of paper and cement could

affect the pot’s durability. This was discovered through a quality testing process.

The statistical analysis used is a One-Way Anova with a = 0.05, in which the

F-critic = 2.660, the F-stats = 11.04546 and the F-stats = 28.08621. This led to the

conclusion that the F-stats are greater than the F-critic, which means there are

significant differences between the three variables in terms of pot durability and

water resistance. Therefore, we will accept the null hypothesis. We recommend

using this papercrete pot with a specific ratio to reduce paper waste and carbon

dioxide. We also recommend using papercrete pots since it’s cheaper than

commercially available cement pots and it also helps our environment.

Keywords: Paper waste, cement, papercrete pots

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preliminaries

Page

Title Page ……………………………………………………………….. 1

Dedication.………………………………………………………………. 2

Acknowledgements……………………………………………………… 5

Abstract………………………………………………………………….. 6

Table of Contents………………………………………………………... 7

List of Tables.…………………………………………………………..... 9

List of Figures……………………………………………………………. 9

CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction……………………………………………………………… 10

Background of the Study………………………………………………… 11

Objective of the Problem………………………………………………... 13

Hypotheses……………………………………………………………….. 13

Significance of the Study………………………………………………… 14

Scope and Limitation…………………………………………………….. 14

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 8

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

Research Design………………………………………………………….. 19

Risks and Safety………………………………………………………….. 19

Tools and Equipments……………………………………………………. 20

Procedure…………………………………………………………………. 20

Statistical Treatment……………………………………………………… 22

CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Results and Discussion…………………………………………………… 26

CHAPTER 5

Summary of Findings…………………………………………………… 27

Conclusion………………………………………………………………... 27

Recommendations………………………………………………………… 28

Bibliography………………………………………………………… 29

APPENDICES

A. Tools and Materials…………………………………………………… 30

B. The Prototype…………………………………………………………. 31
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 9

C. Approval Letter……………………………………………………….. 32

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

Table 1. Tools and Materials, and their Uses…………………………..... 16

Table 2. Pot Durability………………………………………………….. 19

Table 3. Water Resistance……………………………………………….. 20

Table 4. Statistical Treatment…………………………………….……… 21

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Flowchart of Methodology……………………………………..... 16

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 10

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Paper waste is a serious waste problem as it contributes waste at landfills.

Paper constitutes over a third of all litter. It costs states as much as hundreds of

thousands of dollars in clean up annually. Areas with litter problems are

unattractive to tourists and businesses. Littered areas breed bacteria and attract

insects and rodents, which spread the bacteria and cause illness. Paper contains

toxins that seep into soil as the paper decomposes. These toxins are carried into

waterways via stormwater. Animals eat litter and become ill or die. Pedestrians,

unsecured trucks and poorly covered trash bins are the main causes of litter.

(Taylor, 2019)

Instead of paper waste, CO2 emission is also a major global problem and

CO2 comes from sites or constructions where they use cement. The cement sector

is one of the third largest contributors of industrial sources of pollution. We can

say that using a massive amount of cement can affect our environment in a lot of

ways. Reducing the use of cement can also help us lessen the amount of CO2.

Which is why we decided to do research about papercrete as it can lessen paper

waste as well as CO2 emission.

Our objective is to make a way to reuse and recycle used paper for the

better good of our environment. To reach our objectives, we made an alternative

cement that is made from cement with a mix of a cellulose fiber as paper. This is
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 11

known as ‘papercrete’. Papercrete is a building material that consists of crushed

waste paper with portland cement or other soil added.

We can use papercrete in a lot of ways. We can use it for making bricks for

our house. It can be used as a sound and heat insulator or to provide decorative

coverings or built structures. Also, it can be used for furniture or flower pots.

In our research, we decided to use papercretes to make pots as an

alternative for cement pots. This research can benefit us in a lot of ways. It can

help reduce major waste problems and make good use of old and used papers. The

raw material is eco-friendly and easily available. By making pots using

papercrete, we can distinguish the properties of the papercrete. Properties that can

be observed such as compressive strength, tensile strength, sound absorption

properties, mold resistance, flame retardant, and a lot more.

Background of the study

Large amount of paper is used for different activities. It involves chopping

off trees and deforestation, which poses a major environmental problem faced by

our society. In the current scenario, a lot of global wood harvest is used to

produce paper. This causes contamination, which causes release of chlorine-based

bleaches, which is used during production, and the methane gas generated as a

result of rotting of paper. The 3rd largest industrial polluter of the environment is

the pulp and paper industry and it is difficult to identify landfill sites to deposit

them. In Fast Growing countries, this causes a threat to municipal solid waste

management. (Surdasan, 2017)

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 12

Papercrete is a recently explored construction material that consists of

re-pulped paper fiber with cement or clay. It is an experimental material that

replaces a certain proportion of cement with paper in the normal concrete mix. It

is perceived as an environment friendly material due to the vital recycled content.

By doing so, the total weight, cost and the carbon emissions during production are

reduced. Its use remains limited, because of the lack of official data about its

structural properties, mechanical properties and durability. In order to establish

papercrete as a standard material, further experimentation is needed. (Sheth,

2015)

Papercrete motivates recycling of waste paper, especially in communities

with no recycling services. It saves landfill space and keeps paper processing and

printing chemicals out of the water table. It saves trees and other construction

resources, which would have been used in place of papercrete. (Shermale, 2015)

Since the large demand has been placed on the construction industry,

especially in the last decade due to increase in pollution which causes a chronic

shortage of building resources, the civil engineers have been challenged to

convert the industrial waste to useful building and construction materials. One

exclusive recycle opportunity is using waste paper as a construction material.

Since the construction industry uses up a great amount of nonrenewable

resources, therefore the potential function of waste paper for producing a low cost

and light weight composite brick for construction not only delivers the potential

use of waste paper recycling but it will likewise bring down the demand pressure

on global natural resources. (Arya, 2016)

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 13

Objectives of the Study

This study is conducted to know whether we can create eco-friendly pots

using papercrete. Specifically, it aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. To develop and compare 3 types of papercrete pots using the following:

1.1 75% Paper 25% Cement

1.2 50% Paper 50% Cement

1.3 25% Paper 75% Cement

2. To determine if papercrete pots are durable in terms of

2.1 Pot Durability

2.2 Water Resistance

Hypotheses

This part contains the null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis of the study.

H0: There is no significant difference between the three measurements of

the papercrete pots in terms of pot durability and the water resistance.

Ha: There is a significant difference between the three measurements of

the papercrete pots in terms of pot durability and the water resistance.

Significance of the Study

The research study introduces papercrete as an eco-friendly, and

sustainable building material. This study also helps our environment by providing

more spaces in landfills by reusing paper, and reducing CO2 emissions that

contribute to global warming and climate change. It also benefits people who like

to plant but don’t want to spend money on pots and we can reuse papers from
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 14

landfills, who are full of waste paper that are capable of recycling or reusing. This

research is beneficial in many aspects such as in industry, in our environment, and

it’s cheap compared to using cement only as it is made from waste materials.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding with the words used in the study, the researcher

has defined the following based on their uses.

Papercrete pots - Pots made out of papercrete mixture.

Papercrete mixture - A mixture of repulped paper, portland cement, and perlite.

Pot mold - A material used to create pot-shaped papercrete mixture.

Blender - An electric machine that is used for repulping the paper.

Perlite - Potting compost mixes to improve aeration, draining and insulation.

Scope and Limitation

The scope of this study involves the investigation of papercrete pots as an

alternative to cement pots, focusing on determining the optimal ratio of paper and

cement for durability and usability. The study is carried out over two days through

the use of waste products as the main component. The aim of this study is to

evaluate the potential of papercrete pots as a cement pot alternative. The research

was conducted in Lumban, Laguna, and materials were collected on July 26,

2023. The study's limitation lies in its narrow focus on flower pots, restricting the

exploration to building constructions.

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 15

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES

Concrete is the most commonly used of all the building materials in the

world due to its unique advantages compared to other materials. The main reasons

for its fame are because concrete has excellent mechanical features and is

affordable. It also has the tendency to be designed into a variety of sizes and

forms. Moreover, conventional concrete is estimated to be produced about 6

billion tonnes every year worldwide. The vital role of cement as a sole binder in

concrete that results in formation of solid material with ability to sustain load is

undeniable. It is important to highlight that Ordinary Portland cement has been

used as an important ingredient of concrete material in construction for more than

200 years. (Mohamad, 2022)

Anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere come from

three main sources: oxidation of fossil fuels, deforestation and other land-use

changes, and carbonate decomposition. Cement, the largest source of emissions

from the decomposition of carbonates, is a binding material that has been used

since ancient times. But it was following World War II that the production of

cement accelerated rapidly worldwide, with current levels of global production

equivalent to more than half a tonne per person per year. (Andrew, 2018)

The cement industry is one of the most significant sources of greenhouse

gases (GHG) in particular with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The cement

industry will still play a more significant role in the future development though it

is a major source of pollution. Recently, one of the key goals of the global
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 16

environmental agenda is to reduce emissions so as to protect the world's climate.

(Nie, 2022)

Paper is made from plant material called cellulose. Cellulose can be found

in all kinds of plants, but paper is commonly made from trees--or recycled paper

that was originally made from trees. (Bodette, 2020) Paper waste is a big issue in

business. Paper production causes deforestation, uses enormous amounts of

energy and water and contributes to air pollution and waste problems. An

increased paper production will also add further to the pressure on the world’s

forests that are already in a critical state - and constantly getting worse. (Barucchi,

2020)

The pulp and paper industry (PPI) is a major contributor to the global

economy despite the low-profit margins due to well-known challenges in pricing

and fulfilling consumer requirements. This industry also faces constant pressure

to reduce emissions that cause water and air pollution. The PPI is considered a

major water pollutant because it releases massive amounts of toxic substances

into water bodies. The wastewater from the PPI contains more than 250 toxic

chemicals resulting from various processes in wood pulping and papermaking,

including organic, sulfur, and chlorinated compounds and heavy metals, such as

chlorophenols, sulfides, iron, zinc, and manganese. The PPI also generates

various types of waste, such as wood rejects, black liquor, paper rejects, and

sludge. The large amounts of waste present a challenge for waste disposal and can

result in significant damage to water, air, and soil. Waste combustion can also

cause health problems in nearby communities. (Abushammala, 2023)

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 17

Waste Paper has been used as building materials for decades, especially in

cementitious; matrices, and since then a lot of research has been conducted to

develop; the mechanical properties of the composite like compressive, tensile,

flexural strength, and etc. Use of waste paper in structural concrete could become

economical and environmentally friendly which helps to minimize harmful effects

of the construction process. Paper is the most frequent; type of waste found in all

activity areas and exemplifies an important source of cellulose fibers. (Gorgis,

2017)

Paper can be recycled in the technological flow; that has produced it for

the manufacture of paper or the produce of cardboard and pasteboard. Paper can

only be recycled 6-10 times, because with each recycling, the length of cellulose

fiber is minimized, resulting in a decrease of the mechanical strength and quality

(appearance, color) of the manufactured paper and an increase of technological

losses. (Zaki, 2018)

Papercrete was rediscovered in the 1980s, independently by Eric Patterson

and Mike McCain (they called it respectively “padobe” and “fibrous cement”). It

is recognized as an environment-friendly material due to significant recycled

content and its ability to reduce the dead load for the main structure. The

manufacturing process of paper generally produces a large amount of solid waste.

(Cardinale, 2021)

Due to the alternative building material known as papercrete, the dead

load of the main structure can be diminished. Water and any types of papers such

as cardboard, sparkling magazine stock, daily paper, waste mail advertising or any
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 18

other types of papers are the fundamental components of papercrete. The paper

mill publishes most of the paper recycling works or to manufacture cement board.

Other than that, it can end up a reasonable and productive substitute in landfills,

incinerators, or other utilize choices. Moreover, waste paper can be used in the

right way by using it in construction materials to reduce its density. (Solahuddin,

2021)
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 19

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study used a combination of experimental and developmental

research design because it was conducted with a scientific approach and observed

under controlled conditions. This experiment involved three treatments, in which

each treatment was experimented twice with ten samples. One-way ANOVA was

used as a statistical treatment for this study. It helped to test the hypotheses and

the relationship between the variables.

Risk and Safety

Risks that must be included in this study are the risks of inhaling the dust

from the cement. Inhaling dust from cement can cause lung disease. Even the

slightest amount of exposure can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat..

The safety that has to be included is the safety when making the papercrete

mixture. We must include safety measures such as wearing facemasks, eyeglasses,

and gloves to ensure our safety concerning health.

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 20

Research Materials
Table 1: Tools and Materials, and Their Uses

Materials Uses

Waste Paper, Cement, Perlite Main materials to be used in making

papercrete pots.

Water Material to be used in making repulped paper

and the mixture of papercrete.

Medium Clay Pots Served as a mold for the papercrete pots.

Plastic Bag A barrier between the papercrete mixture and

the medium clay pots.

Blender For repulping the waste paper.

Basin For drowning the waste paper in water.

Measuring cups For measuring the amount of repulped paper,

cement, perlite, and water.

Table 1 shows the list of the main materials to be used in the study and the

role it will play while the research is being done.

Flowchart of the Methodology

Figure 1. Flowchart of the Methodology

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 21

The flowchart that guides this study, depicted in Figure 1, is about the

researchers’ procedure for making papercrete pots as a replacement for cement

pots.

Procedures

Raw Material Preparation

We must first gather the materials needed for conducting our experiment.

We collected waste papers from offices and used a shredder to turn them into tiny

pieces, and we bought paperlite from shopee.

Repulping Of Paper

After shredding the paper into pieces, we put them in a bucket containing

5 liters of water. After soaking it for a day, we pulped the paper using a blender to

make sure it’s thoroughly crushed and pulped. Once we’re done, we will remove

the excess water to obtain repulped paper and reuse the water to use it for making

the papercrete mixture.

Making The Papercrete Mixture

We gathered all the material and we measured the right portion for every

pots. and poured them one by one in a big bucket. 75% paper 25% cement: 3 cups of

paper, 1 cup of cement, 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of perlite, 50% paper 50% cement : 2

cups of cement, 2 cups of paper, 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of perlite, and lastly 25% paper

75% cement: 1 cup of paper, 3 cups of cement, 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of perlite. We can

use our hands or other tools to mix the cement, perlite and the repulped paper.

Molding The Papercrete Flowerpots

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 22

We’re done with the mixture, now we mold it into a flower pot. We used

30 medium clay pots. We made sure to put oil on the mold making it easier to

remove once the papercrete pots are dry.

Obtaining The Final Hardened Flowerpots

Once it’s hard enough, we remove the mold of the final papercrete from

the 30 medium clay pots.

Testing The Final Hardened Flowerpots

We conducted an experiment to see if it is durable enough to be a

flowerpot. The following tests we used are water resistance and pot durability. For

pot durability, we dropped the papercrete pots three times with a distance of 1

meter. We observe what changes are made after the test. For water resistance, we

drowned the pots in the water for a day and dropped it three times with a distance

of 1 meter. We gathered data by observing changes in the physical structure of the

papercrete pots

Statistical Treatment

In this study, the researchers used statistical tools to obtain accurate

answers. The researchers utilized the mean to derive the average of the varied

attributes of 1:1, 2:1, 1:2 paper and cement mixture to determine the significant

difference between the effectiveness of each mixture. The results of the mixtures

will be compared to the mean of the controlled mixtures. The researchers utilized

One-Way ANOVA with a = 0.5 level of significance to assess whether there is a

significant difference in compressive strength. This is to evaluate if the values of

factors found are significant.

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 23

CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter presents the findings of the research study, Acceptability Of

Papercrete Pots As Alternative For Pure Cement Pots. This will present the

different data collected and data interpretations. After a month of working on the

product in Lumban, Laguna, On January 16, the researchers obtained their results

in their experiment.

Table 2. Pot durability

Pot Durability

Trial 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
25% 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 3
paper
75%
Cement

50% 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2
Paper
50%
Cement

75% 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2
Paper
25%
Cement

Legends:
1 - Broken
2 - Slightly Broken (with cracks)
3 - Intact (not broken)
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 24

Table 2 showed the results of the experiment from the different amounts of

paper and salt in terms of pot durability in which most of the 25% paper and 75%

cement are intact and slightly broken, 50% paper and 75% cement are slightly

broken and broken, and lastly 75% Paper 25% Cement are broken and slightly

broken.

Table 3. Water Resistance

Water Resistance

Trial 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

25% 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 2
paper
75%
Cement

50% 1 2 3 2 3 2 2 1 2 2
Paper
50%
Cement

75% 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1
Paper
25%
Cement

Legends:

1 - 20 to 50 grams gained
2 - 10 to 19 grams gained
3 - less than 10 grams gained
Table 3 showed the results of the experiment from the different amounts of

paper and salt in terms of water resistance in which most of the 25% paper and

75% cement game 10g to 50g, 50% paper and 75% cement gained 5g to 50g, and

lastly 75% Paper 25% Cement gained 5 to 19g.

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 25

Table 4. Statistical treatment results for Pot durability

Source SS df Ms Interpretati
on

Between- 12.0667 2 60.0333 F= Significant

treatments 28.08621

Within- 5.8 27 0.2148

Treatments

Total 17.8667 29

The results of the statistical analysis using all the different types of

papercrete pots for pot durability used in the study were displayed in Table 4

above. To know whether these results could reject the null hypothesis. The f-ratio

value is 28.08621. The p-value is < .00001. The result is significant at p < .05.

Therefore, do reject the null hypothesis and reject the alternative hypothesis

which means there is no significant difference between the three measurements of

the papercrete pots in terms of pot durability and the water resistance. Table 5.

Table 5. Statistical treatment results for Water Resistance

Source SS df Ms Interpretati
on

Between- 7.2 2 3.6 F= Significant

treatments 11.04546

Within- 8.8 27 0.3259

Treatments

Total 16 29

The results of the statistical analysis using all the different types of

papercrete pots for water resistance used in the study were displayed in Table 5

above. To know whether these results could reject the null hypothesis. The f-ratio
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 26

value is 11.04546. The p-value is .000313. The result is significant at p < .05.

Therefore, do reject the null hypothesis and reject the alternative hypothesis

which means there is no significant difference between the three measurements of

the papercrete pots in terms of pot durability and the water resistance.
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 27

CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings

Based on the findings of the study, table 2 and 3 depicted that only one of

three the paper-cement ratios showed the highest rate of being the most durable

papercrete pot measurement. Also, one of the paper-cement ratios showed that it’s

also durable but not better than the other paper-cement ratio. The other paper-

cement ratio appeared to be a soft texture that can’t be durable enough to be an

alternative for a pure cement pot. In conclusion, two of the paper-cement ratio

would be the best option to make a papercrete pot as an alternative for a pure

cement pot.

Another finding of the study, the papercrete pots can help in a lot of

aspects. Aspects like in industry for lessening the use of cement and lessening the

emission of carbon dioxide coming from the cement. Also in an aspect like

environment, since many landfills have a ton of paper waste, we can reuse and

recycle these paper waste and we can use them for the better good. Another aspect

like agriculture can benefit from our study as we create papercrete pots, we grow

plants that can contribute to making our earth greenier and livelier with the plants

we grew in the pots. The aspects mentioned are only the few of the many aspects

that can benefit from our study.

Conclusion

In conclusion, papercrete pots as an alternative for pure cement pots were

developed. This product is recommended for gardeners who want cheap but
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 28

reliable plant holders such as pots made from recycled papers to reduce paper

waste and use them for the better good. Based on table 2 and 3, the

experimentation and statistical data clearly shows that the 25% paper and 75%

cement ratio, and 50% paper and 50% cement ratio showed the best terms of both

pot durability and water resistance. 25% paper and 75% cement ratio, and 50%

paper and 50% cement ratio are recommendable for home gardeners due to many

factors; accessibility, affordability, level of difficulty in making. As for the 75%

paper and 25% paper ratio, it’s not recommendable due to its softness in texture

and delicate structure that makes it not durable enough to be an alternative for

pure cement pots. The null hypothesis was rejected, indicating a significant

difference between the three measurements in the pot durability and water

resistance among different ratios of paper and cement in papercrete pots.

Recommendation

For future researchers, the following are suggestions to enhance and improve:

1. The researchers recommend focusing on the improvement of the quality of

the final product, or rather, developing different ratios or formulae that

will further improve its sturdiness.

2. Researchers suggest using a flat pot mold to make the hardened papercrete

pot neat and clean-looking.

3. Researchers suggest using different types of paper to explore which paper

can make the papercrete pots more sturdy for long-term use.

4. Researchers recommend using bigger molds for the papercrete mixture to

be more sturdy and intact.

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 29

5. The researchers suggest using perlite, as perlite can make the papercrete

mixture less brittle.

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 30

Bibliography
Arya, R. K., & Kansal, R. (2016). Utilization of waste papers to produce
ecofriendly bricks. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR),
5(8), 92-96.
Taylor, S. (2019). Negative Effects of Paper Wastes. Negative Effects of Paper
Wastes.
https://sciencing.com/the-effects-of-improper-garbage-disposal-4877867.h
tml
Shermale, Y. D., & Varma, M. B. (2015). Papercrete: An efficient use of waste
paper. Recent Trends in Civil Engineering & Technology, 15(3), 54-59.
Sheth, J. T., & Joshi, S. (2015). Paper Crete: A Sustainable Building Material.
Strategic Technologies of Complex Environmental Issues-A Sustainable
Approach, 85.
Sudarsan, J. S., Ramesh, S., Jothilingam, M., Ramasamy, V., & Rajan, R. J. (2017,
July). Papercrete brick as an alternate building material to control
Environmental Pollution. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and
Environmental Science (Vol. 80, No. 1, p. 012017). IOP Publishing.
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 31

APPENDIX A

Tools and Materials

Figure 1. Gathering of materials Figure 2. Repulping of

Papers

Figure 3. Making the papercrete mixture Figure 4. Molding the

papercrete pots papercrete pots

Figure 5. Obtaining the Final Hardened Figure 6. Testing the Final

Papercrete Flowerpots Papercrete Flowerpots
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 32

APPENDIX B

The Prototype

75% Cement 25% Paper 50% Cement 50% Paper

25% Cement 75% Paper

PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 33

APPENDIX C.

Approval Letter
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 34
PAPERCRETE POTS AS REPLACEMENT TO CEMENT POTS 35