Muscat – Nine students of Shinas University of Technology and Applied Sciences have produced an environmentally friendly rubber-like material from palm waste.

The material has use in several industries, including manufacture of tyres, stadium flooring and medical instruments.

Ali Khalid al Saeedi, a member of the team, said it aims to provide the material to industries and reduce the use of natural rubber. The demand for rubber outstrips the current supply threatening the existence of rubber forests.

“Our rubber is produced from organic waste. It will help reduce production of synthetic rubber that contains a large percentage of petroleum products, which are harmful to the environment,” Saeedi said.

Obtaining raw materials and getting access to laboratories to test the product delayed the progress of the project significantly. “Lack of financial resources and equipment was also challenging,” Saeedi informed.

Confident of the product, he said the team aspires to become the first Omani company to manufacture high-efficiency environmentally friendly rubber and export it, too.

“This project will contribute to opening new avenues in manufacturing of environmentally friendly rubber in a competitive market,” Saeedi said.