Organic waste can be broadly defined as any biodegradable material originating from a plant or animal. The development of various biotechnologies has widened the range of options available for repurposing waste of this kind into usable products. A biorefinery (i.e., a refinery that converts biomass to energy and other beneficial byproducts) using organic waste feedstocks is now a reality concerning many types of organic waste, including “agricultural and forestry waste, food processing waste and effluents, sludges, yard and organic household waste” (Alibardi et al., 2020, 6).
Recently, there has been an increase in the number of attempts made by scientists to investigate the potential for deriving value from newly discovered organic waste materials, as well as from those that have already been examined, in a more cost or energy-efficient manner. Here are some examples:
Manimaran et al. (2016) examined the production of biodegradable plastic using banana peels.
When compared to control film and synthetic plastic, the resulting product shows superior degradability. In addition, it has desirable properties (e.g., strength and mouldability) that make it well-suited for many commercial applications. As a result, it represents a potentially useful replacement for fossil-based plastics in various industrial uses, including molding and packaging.
Ladakis et al. (2022) proposed a biorefinery using the organic fraction of municipal solid waste to produce succinic acid and other value-added products. The suggested biorefinery demonstrates a cost-competitiveness in producing succinic acid, as well as fewer CO2 emissions for treating organic waste.
Manhongo et al. (2021) investigated three distinct configurations of a biorefinery that employs mango peel and mango seeds as feedstocks.
- Producing biogas from mango peels and generating heat (steam) and electricity from the co-combustion of mango seeds, digestate, and processed biorefinery wastewater.
- Recovering pectin from mango peel and co-producing steam and electricity from the combustion of mango seeds and biogas.
- Recovering polyphenols and pectin from mango peel and co-producing steam and electricity from the combustion of mango seeds and biogas.
Scenario III is the most profitable option. However, it is also the scenario that affects the environment the most. Scenario II has the second highest profitability and lower environmental impact than scenario III. Scenario I has a negative net present value, indicating an economic loss while also having the least environmental impact. In conclusion, the optimal balance between economic and environmental sustainability may be found in scenario II.
The use of organic waste materials is environmentally appealing because it saves organic waste from being transferred to landfills and reduces the stress placed on natural resources. On the other hand, the use of organic waste in manufacturing new products at an industrial scale presents its own challenges.
For instance, organic waste is frequently inconsistent concerning its content and purity. This creates a large amount of uncertainty concerning the yield and quality of the finished products that a biorefinery will produce.
The selection of an appropriate location for a biorefinery is yet another challenge. It is essential for the success of a biorefinery to have organic waste resources located nearby and to ensure the feasibility of integrating its operations with other industrial processes (Alibardi et al., 2020). Finding a site for a biorefinery that facilitates the acquisition of feedstock and allows for synergistic integration with other industrial processes may require significant effort and financial resources. Adding to the complexity, social assets such as social capital and human capital also need to be considered in site selection decisions because a community’s positive disposition toward a biorefinery project directly impacts its success (Martinkus et al., 2017).
References:
Alibardi, L., Astrup, T. F., Asunis, F., Clarke, W. P., De Gioannis, G., Dessì, P., Lens, P. N. L., Lavagnolo, M. C., Lombardi, L., Muntoni, A., Pivato, A., Polettini, A., Pomi, R., Rossi, A., Spagni, A., & Spiga, D. (2020). Organic waste biorefineries: Looking towards implementation. Waste Management, 114, 274–286.
Ladakis, D., Stylianou, E., Ioannidou, S.-M., Koutinas, A., & Pateraki, C. (2022). Biorefinery development, techno-economic evaluation and environmental impact analysis for the conversion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste into succinic acid and value-added fractions. Bioresource Technology, 354, N.PAG.
Manhongo, T. T., Chimphango, A., Thornley, P., & Röder, M. (2021). An economic viability and environmental impact assessment of mango processing waste-based biorefineries for co-producing bioenergy and bioactive compounds. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 148, N.PAG.
Manimaran, DS., Nadaraja, KR., Vellu, JP., Francisco,V., Kanesen, K., Yusoff, ZB. (2016). Production of biodegradable plastic from banana peel. Journal of Petrochemical Engineering 1 (1), 1-8.
Martinkus, N. Rijkhoff, S.A.M., Hoard, S.A., Shi, W., Smith, P., Gaffney, M., & Wolcott, M. (2017). Biorefinery Site Selection Using a Stepwise Biogeophysical and Social Analysis Approach. Biomass and Bioenergy. 97, 139-148. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.12.022
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