Sustainable strategies for improved regulatory compliance within the food-processing sector. Issue 2 (28th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fagbohungbe, Michael O.; Hursthouse, Andrew S.; Miller, Jan; Morrison, Graeme; Stockwell, Mark; McLellan, Iain
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of ICE. Volume 174:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 47
• Page End: 58
• Publication Date: 2021-05-28
• Subjects: environment -- sustainability -- waste management & disposal; Construction industry -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Construction industry -- Waste disposal -- Periodicals; Construction industry -- Waste minimization -- Periodicals; 624.0286
• DOI: 10.1680/jwarm.20.00027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-6526

Abstract

Abstract : Food producers are challenged to develop and adopt reliable processing techniques to meet environmental regulations for discharge compliance. This is a logistical and technical challenge given that many food companies produce a wide range of commodities resulting in a constantly changing effluent stream. This study investigates the impact of developing, and adopting, more sustainable food-processing strategies through development of a waste-handling strategy that focuses simultaneously on waste prevention initiatives, opportunity for water reuse and optimisation of wastewater management to develop sustainable treatment processes. The results highlight the significance of different stages of waste generation within the production lines and opportunities for prioritising waste prevention by way of remanufacturing and redistribution. Food waste prevention practices allowed the diversion of more than 3–6 metric t/day of edible food to a secondary product as animal feed. Water reuse was validated by monitoring at four locations in the site for both physicochemical and bacteriological parameters. Wastewater treatment operations were monitored, and optimisation led to a reduced dependence on caustic buffering by 40%, and 100% substitution of carbon supplementation from in-process sources. Water reuse strategies resulted in 200–500 m 3 /day of water to be repurposed on site to reduce the volume of wastewater discharge.