Field Actions Science Reports (Apr 2011)
Recycling of solid wastes in Mexico City in livestock and agricultural production systems as a sustainable alternative
Abstract
The use of solid organic wastes (manure and fruit and vegetable refusals) as a way to recycle rubbish from peri-urban areas for the production of crops for local consumption, has been designated by some researchers as an alternate method to partially reduce city waste disposal problems as well as to generate employment and promote the consumption of local products. This model production has also been suggested as a closed system ideally suited for urban environments in order to reduce the use of external inputs and encourage waste recycling policies for resource usage. A system that uses a significant amount of solid waste in the form of fruits and vegetables and the local food industry to feed dairy cows has been implemented in the East of Mexico City. The stable refusal consisting of manure and straw are sent in a fresh way to agricultural areas of the South-East of the city and used as an important external input support for the production of nopal-verdura which constitutes an important food in the diet of the inhabitants of Mexico City. The main goal of this paper is to expose and analyze current and future advantages and problems in both systems as sustainable alternatives for waste management.
