Mainstreaming Innovation in The Use of Secondary Raw Materials: A Case study Of Sawmill Waste In Akure, Ondo State

Abstract: In mainstreaming innovation as technopreneurs in the use of secondary raw materials, selected sawmills in Akure Ondo state was evaluated. These sawmill waste can be turned into useful materials for goods and services by technopreneurs who are proactive and innovative in meeting the need of the market. These are products of lignocelluloses wood materials and they come as bark, rough, cut-off chips, and sawdust. It was observed that sawdust is the most abundant of these materials. The study was done using a questionnaire, personal interviews, on-the-spot assessment, and participatory approaches. Ten (10) sawmills were randomly selected for the study. The study revealed that approximately 749.667kg (0.74966 tons) of sawdust is generated daily in a small-medium scale sawmill. A heap of approximately 5335.2344 tons was generated by a large scale sawmill in the study area in less than 30 days.
As technopreneurs, this raw material was identified and studied with a conclusion that a huge amount of sustainable resources are lying unutilized and further steps must be taken so as to turn waste management and recycling into raw material management. Sawdust can serve as raw material to fill the energy supply gap in Nigeria in an eco-friendly manner and in a distributed form as mini-grids.

Keywords: Technopreneurs; Secondary Raw Materials; Mainstreaming Innovation.