Articles
Critical point analysis in solid inorganic waste production in the protected cultivation systems in Almeria – approaches to reduce the impact
Article number
1268_27
Pages
205 – 212
Language
English
Abstract
The concept of bio-economy has been around for the last ten years.
In the European Union (EU), it emerged in 2005 and was identified as a tool to address a wide range of societal challenges in the coming years: food security, climate change, sustainable resource management, private companies competitiveness and job creation.
Spain launched its own strategy on bio-economy in January 2016 aiming at boosting a bio-economy based on the sustainable and efficient production and use of biological resources.
The targeted sectors are food, agriculture and forestry.
It includes, among other challenges, the valorisation of wastes and residues reducing waste and closing the circle in the value chain.
In this framework, the objective of the study was to detail the main activities in the production process and their respective inputs and waste generated by the Almería horticultural greenhouses system, and to elaborating the flows of inputs and waste in primary production.
Subsequently, a typology has been developed according to the nature and volume of waste generated.
In the overall composition of waste generated, plastic used as protection material represents approximately 6% of the total waste produced in intensive agriculture and the remaining 94% are organic residues.
The maintenance of the cover structure and the plastic for disinfection are the productive functions with a higher importance regarding the weight (42 and 23%, respectively) and volume (40 and 19%, respectively) of waste produced.
Finally, framed within the REINWASTE project, some innovative practices to reduce inorganic waste were performed leading to a more sustainable horticultural and bio-economy sector in south of Spain.
In the European Union (EU), it emerged in 2005 and was identified as a tool to address a wide range of societal challenges in the coming years: food security, climate change, sustainable resource management, private companies competitiveness and job creation.
Spain launched its own strategy on bio-economy in January 2016 aiming at boosting a bio-economy based on the sustainable and efficient production and use of biological resources.
The targeted sectors are food, agriculture and forestry.
It includes, among other challenges, the valorisation of wastes and residues reducing waste and closing the circle in the value chain.
In this framework, the objective of the study was to detail the main activities in the production process and their respective inputs and waste generated by the Almería horticultural greenhouses system, and to elaborating the flows of inputs and waste in primary production.
Subsequently, a typology has been developed according to the nature and volume of waste generated.
In the overall composition of waste generated, plastic used as protection material represents approximately 6% of the total waste produced in intensive agriculture and the remaining 94% are organic residues.
The maintenance of the cover structure and the plastic for disinfection are the productive functions with a higher importance regarding the weight (42 and 23%, respectively) and volume (40 and 19%, respectively) of waste produced.
Finally, framed within the REINWASTE project, some innovative practices to reduce inorganic waste were performed leading to a more sustainable horticultural and bio-economy sector in south of Spain.
Authors
S. Sayadi-Gmada, J.M. Torres-Nieto, S. Parra Gómez, M.C. García-García, C. Parra-López
Keywords
bioeconomy, greenhouses, zero waste, circular economy
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