Innovation and circular approaches for animal and agro-industrial residues: Connecting Peru and Mexico
Innovation und Kreislaufansätze für tierische und agroindustrielle Reststoffe: Peru und Mexiko verbinden
Innovación y enfoques circulares para residuos animales y agroindustriales: Conectando Perú y México
Background and Motivation
In Peru and Mexico, large quantities of organic waste are produced from animal and agro-industrial processes.
In the municipality of Mina in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, for example, 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes of nut shells are produced annually, which must be disposed of. In addition, cattle fattening produces around 11,000 tonnes of manure per year, some of which is sold as fertiliser to neighbouring regions.
In Lampazos, about 115 km from Mina, there is also a cattle fattening facility that is three times the size of the one in Mina. Current disposal practices cause odour pollution, hygiene problems and environmental consequences. The lack of sustainable recycling strategies also leads to a loss of economic potential.
On the other hand, research initiatives are already underway in Peru to investigate alternative uses for agricultural residues, with a focus on their application as biomaterials, for example in biofilters for removing pollutants from industrial wastewater.
