Resources (Dec 2022)

Environmental Impact Assessment of a Solar Drying Unit for the Transformation of Food Waste into Animal Feed

  • Konstadinos Abeliotis,
  • Christina Chroni,
  • Katia Lasaridi,
  • Evangelos Terzis,
  • Fenia Galliou,
  • Thrassyvoulos Manios

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11120117
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 12
p. 117

Abstract

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Food waste valorization via its transformation into animal feed is a viable alternative for improving food security and the diversion of organic waste from landfills. The manuscript presents the environmental impact assessment of the construction and operation of a novel solar food waste drying unit on the island of Crete in Greece, which is treating food waste from hotels. Life cycle assessment is utilized for the impact assessment. The results indicate a total carbon footprint of approximately 217.5 kg CO2 eq. per ton of treated food waste. In conclusion, the operation phase is the major contributor to the environmental impacts, due to the utilization of electricity.

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