Food waste management and the circular economy in the Brazilian semiarid (original) (raw)

Decision-Making Process in the Circular Economy: A Case Study on University Food Waste-to-Energy Actions in Latin America

Energies

Economies have begun to shift from linear to circular, adopting, among others, waste-to-energy approaches. Waste management is known to be a paramount challenge, and food waste (FW) in particular, has gained the interest of several actors due to its potential impacts and energy recovery opportunities. However, the selection of alternative valorization scenarios can pose several queries in certain contexts. This paper evaluates four FW valorization scenarios based on anaerobic digestion and composting, in comparison to landfilling, by applying a consistent decision-making framework through a combination of linear programming, Life Cycle Thinking (LCT), and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The evaluation was built upon a case study of five universities in Costa Rica and portrayed the trade-offs between environmental impacts and cost categories from the scenarios and their side flows. Results indicate that the landfill scenario entails higher Global Warming Potential and Fresh Water E...

Sustainable management of food waste in federal universities: a documentary analysis of strategies in Brazilian Southeast

Research, Society and Development, 2020

Due to increased consumption and inadequate waste disposal, causing environmental damage for present and future generations, it is necessary to change from a linear economy to a circular economy, where what is “garbage” in a production process becomes matter press on the other. This article aims to identify strategies used for the management of food waste in university restaurants, in Brazilian public higher education institutions. A sample of 19 federal universities in southeastern Brazil was chosen. The data on the management of food waste residues from these institutions were collected in the Institutional Development Plans, Sustainable Logistics Plans and the Institutions website. The research showed that despite 73.68% of the sample talking about waste in their Institutional Development Plan and or Sustainable Logistics Plan, only three universities disclose on their websites information about treatments and / or research carried out by them in the scope of waste management foo...

ANALYSIS OF SOLID WASTE GENERATION IN A UNIVERSITY CAFETERIA IN BRAZIL: A CASE STUDY

Environmental problems that result from increases in the generation of urban solid waste are compounded by the inadequate management of wastes generated by large-scale meal production at Food and Nutrition Units (FNUs). With the growth of eating out sector, solid waste management of FNUs should be focused on minimizing waste generation, while considering all regulations enforced, including those related to hygienic quality of food. The goal of this study was to determine the quantities and types of waste generated by a university cafeteria in Brazil to help implement a solid waste management plan that adhered to the Brazilian National Policy on Solid Waste. For this purpose, the waste generated during each stage of the meal production process was weighed according to its type for 21 days. Additionally, structured observations were conducted to identify adopted waste management practices and further opportunities for waste reduction at the facility. During this study, 6,553.5 kg of waste was generated, of which 82.6% resulted from organic food waste and 17.4% resulted from recyclable and other residual waste. Based on the collected data and structured observations, certain recommendations were provided for reducing the waste generated during cafeteria processes and for modifying the cafeteria activities to meet environmental and hygienic-sanitary requirements. The analysis presented in this study could guide the implementation of waste management plans in similar establishments that seek sustainability in meal production and that intends to comply with current legislation.

The role of circular economy in food waste management in fulfilling the United Nations’ sustainable development goals

Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Alimentaria

Based on the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021, approximately 931 million tons of food waste were generated in 2019, with nearly 570 million tons of that waste occurring in households. Hunger affects more than 800 million people worldwide. Furthermore, the non-consumption of food accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, food waste generation has significant environmental, societal, and economic consequences. The circular economy (CE) is an economic model that seeks to reduce waste and extend resource life. The purpose of this study is to examine and present the connections between the CE, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and food waste management. Food waste management is commonly regarded as an environmental issue. Still, it also offers vital economic and social benefits for sustainable development. The first section of the research looks at the function of food waste management in the transition to a circular economy. The second part of this study...

Toward a Circular Bioeconomy within Food Waste Valorization: A Case Study of an On-Site Composting System of Restaurant Organic Waste

Sustainability

In the present and projected context of an increasing worldwide demand for food, the intensification of climate change effects on agriculture, and the depletion and degradation of natural resources, global actions must be taken to assure future food security for all people. Improper practices along the food supply chain, from primary production to consumption, generate huge quantities of food waste. Building a circular bioeconomy that feeds recycled materials back into the economy and minimizes the loss of resources will be an important step in introducing the world’s food system to a sustainable path. The present case study describes an enclosed on-site composting system for food waste, operated in real-life conditions. The composting equipment was installed for a restaurant with specific needs in November 2020, located near a shopping center in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania. The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the compost came from a mix of food wast...

The circular economy approach for reducing food waste: a systematic review

Revista Produção e Desenvolvimento, 2021

Purpose: This study performs a systematic review through a global analysis of selected articles on food waste and the Circular Economy in the period between 2011 and 2020, indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Methodology/Approach: It performs a qualitative analysis of 19 selected articles to identify how the Circular Economy can be used in the strategy to reduce food waste. Findings: The main focus is to avoid a global collapse, provoked by the unrestrained increase in production and consumption since the industrial revolution, intensified in the middle of the 20th century. That culminated in the degradation of the soil, seas and the consequent air pollution caused by all these factors, and in the social issue, the increase in social inequality between countries and people, and the evolution of food insecurity, especially among the most vulnerable. Research Limitation/implication: This research contributes to academia and society, by identifying principal authors, key...

Business models of composting for a circular economy

Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2023

A linear economy based on the ``take-make-use-dispose'' model disregards the role of composting in bio-waste diversion from landfills or dumpsites with repercussions to human settlements and the natural environment. Bio-waste is a key fraction of municipal solid waste and agricultural waste flows which must be properly managed under the ``zero-waste'' scenario promoted by the circular economy framework. This chapter argues the role of composting as a sound circular mechanism in bio-waste management. Best practices from Spain and Romania are revealed through cost-efficient and innovative projects which integrate the composting, multi-stakeholders cooperation (local authorities, waste operators, Non-Governmental Organizations, researchers, consultants, citizens, etc) business opportunities, and social inclusion (vulnerable individuals and marginalized communities) in line with circular economy principles. Examples from urban, rural and touristic regions show how composting could play a catalyzing role in human, natural, and economical regeneration of communities which could be further adjusted to other territories of the world to support the transition towards the circular economy.

A circular economy as an alternative for Brazil’s sustainable growth: analysis of the National Solid Waste Policy

2020

Objective: to present a global view of the circular economy, showing the most important elements of the implementation of this concept and its inherent practices. Methodology: the procedure chosen is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive, based on the review of the documents and norms pertinent to the measures aimed at solid waste management in Brazil. Relevance: the research contributes to the academic discussion about a concept that is a world’s concern, based on the production and disposal of waste, investing in reuse, repair, and renovation of materials and energy, and aiming at economic growth and human development while preserving the environment and sustainable development. Results: the results show that, in Brazil, the actions to incorporate a circular economy into production and consumption need to overcome different barriers and challenges to render it viable according to the sustainable development criteria. Contributions: the main contributions are linked to the emph...

Food Waste and Circular Economy: Challenges and Opportunities

Sustainability

The world’s population is expected to grow at an increasing rate, leading to increased food consumption and waste production. Even though food waste represents one of the most challenging economic and environmental issues of the 21st century, it also provides a vast array of valuable resources. To address the challenge, this study uses resource recovery from food waste to close the supply chain loop, which is the cornerstone of a circular economy. By applying the bibliometric review technique, trends and patterns in food waste and circular economy were studied. The analysis of frequent keywords in the field provided insights into further research directions. A Boolean search of the keywords in the Scopus database resulted in 288 articles, published between 2015 and 2021. Further screening of titles, keywords, and abstracts resulted in 155 journal articles. Bibliometric coupling, including authors’ co-citation data, co-occurrence, and the occurrence of keywords, was graphically mappe...

Circular economy: A multilevel approach for natural resources and wastes under an agri-food perspective

The consumption of natural resources and waste production raises questions and concerns for the global scientific community and government decision-makers. This review article provides several literature references related to the concept of the circular economy and how the transition from a linear to a more circular system would prove to be a particularly sustainable practice in resource and waste management, ensuring the sustainable use and minimized consumption of resources, but also the reduced production, the reuse and the controlled disposal of waste as nutrients of a subsequent system. Also, bibliographic references give information about the actions and the Action Plan of the European Union in a sustainable policy, as well as the expected goals from this activity. This article review provides adequate liiterature references regarding the principles of the circular economy in the agri-food sector as well as the necessity of its implementation to address the existing challenges that the specific sector must face and the benefits that can arise from such a transition.