Potential valorization of oil palm fiber in versatile applications towards sustainability: A review

As the most consumed edible oil worldwide, palm oil consumption boosting results in more planting and more oil palm by-products (5 times more than palm oil production). In order to meet environmental sustainability, various oil palm by-products in the form of residual lignocellulosic biomass are available for exploitation from palm oil mills. Although their disposal might pose some undesirable environmental impacts, economical applications of these untapped by-products, oil palm fiber in particular, into useful alternatives have been progressively developed over the past decades: pulp and paper, animal feed, renewable energy, automobile, agricultural and architectural substitutes, water treatment media, polymer and composite, to name a few. This review addresses various innovative valorization of oil palm fiber, their versatile application status and potential projection as a sustainable alternative. A proposed scheme to fill in the knowledge gaps identified and provide future direction is put forth for consideration.