Agricultural Waste: Sources, Implications, and Sustainable Management

Greenhouse gases emissions and exponential growth in pollutants due to excessive consumption of fossil fuels have become a major problem worldwide. At the same time, smog problems due to agricultural residue waste burning are making habitats of Delhi’s lives difficult. In the year 2018, we have already witnessed a week “smog out” situation in Delhi which is primarily caused due to crop residues burning in Punjab, Haryana and other neighbouring states. Thus, it is essential methods to curb and control pollution via efficient disposal of agricultural waste. Interestingly, agricultural waste materials such as sugarcane bagasse, rice husk, rice straw and plants leaf have the potential to serve as a substitute of fossil fuels. In general, agricultural waste such as sugarcane bagasse falls under the category of lignocellulosic biomass having lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose as major constituents. These wastes lignocellulosic waste biomass can be converted to fuels and chemicals via different methods such as chemical conversion, biological conversion, catalytic conversion and pyrolysis. However, pyrolysis of lignocellulosic waste is most appropriate and feasible method which does not essentially require the involvement of severe chemicals. In the present manuscript, a detailed overview of various pyrolysis methods will be discussed for waste biomass conversion to produce fuels and chemicals. Post this, the application of pyrolytic processes will be extended to other solid waste materials such as plastic waste, e-waste and municipal solid waste to produce energy and chemicals. Eventually, potential impact of these technologies on pollution control and sustainable waste management will be presented.

Agriculture and food industries are the sources of survival for human lives. Globally, these sectors provide 24 million tons of food and are estimated to increase the production up to more than 10 billion by 2050. The exponentially growing population has put immense pressure to further increase Agricultural production. Unfortunately, in the overall process from farming to product utilization, huge quantities of waste are produced that increase around 7.5% annually. These wastes are mainly in the form of farm agricultural waste, industrial agricultural wastes, livestock (meat) production and processing wastes, fertilizers and on-farm medical wastes, horticultural and other chemical waste, packaging and manufacturing waste, kitchen waste etc. The improper management of these wastes causes various ecological hazards like increased soil and water contamination, air pollution, smog formation, increased greenhouse gases, damage to aquatic biomes, increased loads on landfills, etc. This creates both environmental deterioration and economic loss to the population. Open dumping of these wastes causes stinky odor on decomposition, attracts fleas and pests, forms leachates that flow and contaminate the soil and nearby water resources, causing serious health issues for humans. This problem increases further due to a lack of knowledge about the hazardous impacts of agricultural and kitchen wastes on the environment when they are disposed of in an unplanned and unprocessed manner. But these waste products have some crucial physiochemical and biological properties that make them cheap, feasible, economical, and eco-friendly materials for utilization in some industries like construction, energy and fuel, packaging, water purifying, skincare, fertilizer, etc. The purpose of this review study is to understand the effects of agricultural and kitchen waste on the surrounding environment. The review of prevailing and advanced techniques for proper utilization and management of this waste in other industries may help in spreading awareness for a better ecological and economically stable future of the earth.

The threat of climate change is increasing, especially the damage to nature caused by pollution in the agricultural sector. The impact of agricultural waste that is not managed optimally can reduce ecosystem function and disrupt food security stability. This research/research aims to mapping, analyzing, and developing Internet of Things (IoT)-based bioindustry technology in order to create an efficient, green and sustainable agricultural industry. This research uses quantitative methods with agroecology theory related to the development of agricultural waste management systems. The benefits of anaerobically processing agricultural waste such as in the West Java region is to create an optimal, efficient and land-saving food production system. Biotechnology based on the IoT automation system is a technology that can control agricultural food production waste by composting waste into new product that can be used. Therefore, we conducted research on agricultural waste, namely husk waste and cow blood water from slaughterhouses. The end result of the waste treatment is Bokashi Fertilizer and Liquid Organic Fertilizer by using biotechnology technology.

This study investigates sustainable alternatives for managing agricultural harvest waste in Aceh Besar, focusing on environmentally beneficial practices within local agriculture. To address the challenges of agricultural waste, this research evaluates eight alternatives: composting or organic fertilizer production, biopesticide or herbicide creation, fuel development from agricultural waste, natural fiber extraction, food product development, livestock feed, biochar for soil recovery, and the use of waste as raw materials for health and cosmetic products. Utilizing a structured decision-making approach, feedback from farmers, local stakeholders and agricultural experts was gathered to assess each alternative based on environmental impact, feasibility, and sustainability. The prioritization results ranked composting or organic fertilizer production as the top alternative, followed by livestock feed, and biopesticide or herbicide production. These findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and agricultural stakeholders in implementing sustainable waste management practices that support regional environmental goals.

California faces crisis conditions on its forested landscapes. A century of aggressive logging and fire suppression in combination with conditions exacerbated by climate change have created an ongoing ecological, economic, and public health emergency. Between commercial harvests on California’s working forestlands and the increasing number of acres the state treats each year for fire risk reduction and carbon sequestration, California forests generate millions of tons of woody residues annually—residues that are typically left or burned in the field. State policymakers have turned to biomass electricity generation as a key market for woody biomass in the hope that it can support sustainable forest management activities while also providing low-carbon renewable electricity. However, open questions surrounding the climate and air pollution performance of electricity generation from woody biomass have made it difficult to determine how best to manage the risks and opportunities posed by forest residues. The California Biomass Residue Emissions Characterization (C-BREC) model offers a spatially-explicit life cycle assessment framework to rigorously and transparently establish the climate and air pollution impacts of biopower from forest residues in California under current conditions. The C-BREC model characterizes the variable emissions from different biomass supply chains as well as the counterfactual emissions from prescribed burn, wildfire, and decay avoided by residue mobilization. We find that the life cycle ‘carbon footprint’ of biopower from woody residues generated by recent forest treatments in California ranges widely—from comparable with solar photovoltaic on the low end to comparable with natural gas on the high end. This variation stems largely from the heterogeneity in the fire and decay conditions these residues would encounter if left in the field, with utilization of residue that would otherwise have been burned in place offering the best climate and air quality performance. California’s energy and forest management policies should account for this variation to ensure desired climate benefits are achieved.

Globally, accumulation of agricultural wastes has reached critical proportions. To avoid depletion of natural resources, minimise risk to human health, reduce environmental loads, and maintain ecological balance, these agricultural wastes must be managed in a sustainable manner. Agricultural wastes are currently treated and managed in the following ways: used as animal feed, for mulching, composting, fertiliser, direct combustion, and pyrolysis. However, these wastes can further be treated and converted into biogas for domestic and industrial purposes. About ninety scholarly works from Google Scholar, African Journal of Agriculture Research (AJAR) and other Scopus-Indexed Academic databases were reviewed showed limited information on the use of single-stage solar-heated biogas digester for the treatment of agricultural wastes for both energy generation and hygienised organic fertiliser production. This review focuses on using anaerobic digestion process for converting agricultural wastes to biogas by employing a single-stage solar-heated biogas digester (SSSHBD). The digester to be used will depend on solar energy, which is largely untapped especially in sub-Saharan African countries, for its operation at a thermophilic condition. Sustainable renewable energy (biogas) and pathogen-free nutrient-rich digestate produced could be useful to farmers. The biogas produced could be converted to electricity using a combined heat and power generator. Appropriate policy should be made on the adoption and use of solar-heated biogas digester for treating agricultural wastes as it has enormous potentials for sustainable environment.

Waste is one of the most pressing issues of the present time. Its effects seemed so drastic that concerns about its proper management raised questions around the globe. The major areas of developing and underdeveloped countries are used for agriculture and allied activities. Most of the waste generated in a country comprisesd agricultural wastes, most of which are solid. There is an urgent need to manage this agricultural waste to avoid environmental degradation and mitigate its ill effects on human and animal health. It was found that vermicomposting seemed to be by far the most affordable and quickest method of agricultural solid waste management. It also describes the problem of crop residue burning, which is quite prevalent in developing countries like India. It was also seen that the respective central and state governments must frame specific policies and laws for agricultural waste management. As agricultural solid wastes have good re-use and conversion potential, and it was suggested that suitable measures that can be taken to implement sustainable management of agricultural solid wastes.

Although the involvement of stakeholders is believed to be the key to the success of sustainable municipal waste management, the specific features of stakeholders, as well as their interdependence, have been under-researched. This study employed a multilevel governance approach to understand the manner in which different types of stakeholder networks interact with one another and how their roles should be reinforced. A combination of stakeholder analysis (SA) and social network analysis (SNA) was employed to investigate the perspective of stakeholders in utilizing municipal solid waste (MSW) in agriculture in Hanoi, Vietnam. SA indicated that the local authorities take the main responsibility for the management of MSW in Hanoi. Although other stakeholders express a significant interest in recycling MSW through composting, many of them do not have sufficient power to make any changes to the current system. SNA revealed the fragmentation of the network, as the coordination among the stakeholders is dominated by hierarchical governance, while there is a lack of horizontal cooperation among the sectors. The fragmentation could be attributed to weak legislative framework, lack of trust, financial constraints, and the limited participation of private enterprises. The governance of MSW use in agriculture should be executed through interdependency rather than hierarchy and through a network comprising both state and non-state actors.

PurposeHuge amount of yard waste is produced in cities with excessive agricultural activities like Cameron Highlands, Malaysia where most of the time the yard waste is being managed poorly and big portion of it ends in dump sites. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the applicability of converting yard waste generated in Cameron Highlands Malaysia into high-quality and fast compost via in-vessel method.MethodsIn-vessel composting technique was applied for speedy biotransformation of yard waste. Addition of food waste, effective microorganisms (EM) and Shimamoto Enzyme® (SE) were investigated for improvement of compost quality. Four compositions of feedstock with different yard waste (YW) and food waste (FW) ratios were tested. The compositions were 70%YW + 30%FW, 80%YW + 20%FW, 90%YW + 10%FW and 100%YW. Physicochemical properties of compost including pH, moisture content and C/N ratio were monitored throughout the experiment. Furthermore, quality of compost and its potential for direct application after production were evaluated based on germination index (GI) and nutrient content (NPK).ResultsThe compost samples had pH ranging from 7 to 9 and moisture content of 15.45–32.13%. Initial C/N ratio of all feedstock was decreased throughout the composting process by more than 50%. Seed germination test showed that only 70%YW + 30%FW feedstock produced immature compost with GI < 80%. The highest GI of 130% was obtained when FW represented in 10% of the feedstock with addition of EM. Average concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were 1.73, 1.21 and 1.66% in case of EM additive and 1.47, 0.56 and 1.74% in case of SE additive.ConclusionApplication of in-vessel composting can improve solid waste management in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia and yield a high-demand product. The approach used in this study can be a good practice for the societies have difficulties in managing their yard waste.

Background: Agricultural waste is a significant by-product of the agrarian sector, with the potential for substantial environmental and economic impacts. This study aims to examine the characteristics of organic agricultural waste and analyze its effects on the environment, both in terms of threats and its potential utilization. Method: This study employs a systematic literature review method. The literature search focuses on articles discussing agricultural waste, its characteristics, and its environmental impacts. Findings: The results show that agricultural waste has diverse characteristics based on fiber composition, physical form, and protein content. The main threats from agricultural waste include water pollution due to nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane. However, this waste also holds significant potential as a source of organic mulch, animal feed, and raw material for bioenergy. Utilizing agricultural waste as mulch can improve soil quality and crop yields, while its use as animal feed supports the integration of agricultural and livestock systems. In the context of energy, converting waste into biogas and biofuel offers an effective solution. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of integrated and sustainable agricultural waste management to minimize negative impacts and optimize its economic potential. Novelty/Originality of this article: By providing a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics and impacts of agricultural waste, this study offers insights into the importance of a holistic approach to agricultural waste management to support sustainable agriculture.

Agricultural waste (crop residues and animal manure) is a significant byproduct of farming activities. It holds potential for sustainable agriculture, renewable energy production, and environmental conservation. However, traditional disposal challenges persist, leading to air pollution and soil degradation. Innovative approaches include converting agricultural waste into bioenergy like bioethanol and biogas and producing biochar from agricultural residues, which improves soil health, water retention, and nutrient availability while sequestering carbon. Agricultural waste is also finding applications in industries. Integrating agricultural residues into industrial processes not only adds value to waste but also reduces reliance on raw materials like fossil fuels and wood. In livestock farming, crop residues are critical as feed and bedding, particularly in resource-constrained regions. While their nutritional content is often low, treatment methods can improve their digestibility. By integrating cutting-edge technologies and supportive policies, it is possible to transform agricultural waste from a burden into a resource, paving the way for a more sustainable agricultural future.

&lt;div&gt;Agriculture wastes or agro-wastes are byproducts obtained after the&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;processing of crops and other agriculture products. The worldwide production of a&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;huge quantity of agro-wastes presents different challenges in the environment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Agriculture wastes are potentially toxic to plants, humans, animals, as well as different&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;components of the environment. The burning of agricultural waste causes serious&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;environmental pollution, while dumping causes leaching and soil deterioration. Despite&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;several drawbacks, the valorization of agriculture waste has been a promising approach&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;for their sustainable management. Agriculture wastes are rich in lignocellulosic&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;material that include cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin and also contain pectin,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;proteins, lipids, and polyphenols. About 50% agro-wastes are obtained from wheat,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;rice, and oilseed crops that contain 0.5% N, 0.2% P2O5, and 1.5% K2O. The rich&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;nutrient and mineral content of agro-wastes presents them as a good raw material for&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;the production of different valued products. Production of valued products such as&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;enzyme, ethanol, compost, biogas, mushroom, and animal feed using agriculture wastes&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;as a substrate has been discussed. The present chapter converses the utilization of agrowaste&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;for the production of different value-added products and also describes the&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;challenges and advancements during the fermentation of wastes into products.&lt;/div&gt;

This study aimed to evaluate the environmental benefits of utilizing by-products from olive farms and olive oil mills within the framework of sustainable resource management and the reduction in agricultural waste, through an integrated circular approach that involves composting and bioenergy recovery. A total of 10.7–11.2 t/ha of biomass, including pruning residues and olive pomace, was generated, with a utilization efficiency of 63.5–67.5%. The energy potential of olive biomass was highlighted through assessments that revealed a theoretical generation potential of approximately 96 GJ/ha (25–28 MW·h/ha), primarily from repurposed woody biomass and pomace. The environmental analysis showed a 50–60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional disposal, due to avoided open burning, carbon stabilization via compost, and the displacement of fossil fuels. Economically, the circular strategy yielded a net benefit of ~70 $/ha, with revenues from bioenergy and compost exceeding processing costs. Soil organic matter increased from 1.3% to 1.5% after compost application, improving fertility and water retention. The waste reduction percentage reached ~65%, significantly decreasing the volume of unutilized biomass. These outcomes, confirmed through statistical and correlation analyses, demonstrate a robust model for circular agriculture that enhances energy self-sufficiency, mitigates the environmental impact, and supports economic and agronomic sustainability. The findings offer a replicable framework for transforming olive farming waste into valuable bioresources.

Research background: Inadequate management of agricultural waste is a growing challenge that poses significant risks to the environmental sustainability of ecosystems due to the lack of detailed information on how socioeconomic factors influence the management of such waste. The importance of addressing this issue is reflected in various European policies, such as Directives 2018/851 and 2018/852. However, current initiatives do not sufficiently consider the factors that affect producers' behavior in terms of waste management, limiting the effectiveness of these policies in improving the sustainability of the sector. Purpose of the article: This study seeks to identify and analyze the technical, economic, and social factors shaping agricultural waste management practices among farmers and livestock producers. It also proposes policy and organizational recommendations that could serve as benchmarks. Spain, a key player in the European agri-food sector, serves as a case study. Methods: Data were collected through a structured survey targeting Spanish agricultural and livestock producers, focusing on socioeconomic, technical, and waste management practices. Spain’s primary production system was selected as a representative European case due to its pivotal role in agricultural and livestock output. The survey, distributed via agri-food cooperatives and digital knowledge-sharing platforms, garnered 396 valid responses, achieving a 95% confidence level and a maximum margin of error of 2.2%. The dataset was analyzed using binary logistic regression to estimate the likelihood of effective waste management based on selected explanatory variables. Findings &amp; value added: The findings highlight that economic factors such as the volume of farm income directly and significantly influence waste management, indicating that higher income favors better management. Other influential factors are of a social nature: level of education, gender and age of producers. This research underscores the urgent need for tailored policy interventions to address these factors, advocating for enhanced waste management initiatives, specialized training programs, and collaborative advisory services in partnership with cooperatives and industry stakeholders.

Circular economy is simply the economic system in which wastes are minimized and resources are best utilized. This approach is aligned with “Bioeconomy, Circular economy and Green economy (BCG)”, one of Thai government’s flagships for national social and economic development plan. In agricultural sector, circular economy concept has long been successfully adopted through waste minimization and renewable concept. Thailand is the ASEAN leader in bioenergy production. One important factor is the government’s long term renewable energy plan which has supported the implementation of bioenergy projects. Recovery as food, energy, fertilizer and other value added products from agricultural wastes are already in commercial practice in agro-processing industry, i.e. sugarcane and palm oil industry as good examples. These provide an excellent foundation to another step of circular economy where more value addition can be extracted along the value chain. On the other hand, achieving circular economy is still far for municipal solid waste (MSW), the more difficult one to manage. Although some fractions are recycled and recovered for energy production and other purposes, large amount of MSW is still not properly disposed. Incineration, which seems to be the best short term solution, often encounters local unacceptance due to environmental concern and the difficult operation due to poor quality unsorted wastes. For sustainable waste management under circular economy concept, considering and planning based on the whole life cycle of MSW as well as raising people awareness to change public behavior on waste generation will be needed for better and easier management.