Parañaque turns water hyacinth and coconut fiber into plant pots

Parañaque City will convert water hyacinth and coconut fiber collected from its roads and waterways into plant pots using new equipment donated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the machines provide a new way to reuse natural materials from cleanup operations while supporting livelihood training for residents. The City Environment and Natural Resources Office received the equipment on Saturday, including pot-making machines and a decorticator for processing fibers. The smallest machine can produce up to 240 pots per hour, while medium and large machines produce 120 and 60 pots per hour, respectively. The equipment will also be used in training programs to teach residents how to process natural fibers and create plant pots.