waste saving fact sheet

Managing waste in the

fruit and vegetable
processing industry
Introduction
If you operate a small to medium sized fruit or vegetable
processing facility then this fact sheet could help you to:
n reduce input and waste disposal costs
n improve your environmental performance
n be more competitive!

With increasing raw material costs, climate change risks and

pressure from investors, employees and customers to increase the
sustainability of your operations, focusing on waste management
is critical to fruit and vegetable processing businesses.
This fact sheet provides a range of practical and cost effective
waste management options. Some offer immediate savings and
associated benefits while others may involve an upfront cost
that can be recovered within a few months or years.

Major waste generating activities

The fruit and vegetable processing industry includes both fresh
pack and processing / value-adding activities.
The major waste streams are organic waste (including fruit and
vegetable rejects, peel and pomace) and other raw material
wastes. Washing processes and packaging activities also
generate waste. Organic waste types may vary depending on
the season and also contribute to waste water.

Benefits of reducing waste

Improving waste management can benefit your business and
the environment by:
n reducing the cost of purchasing materials (e.g.through

avoiding disposal of damaged products)

n minimising waste treatment and disposal costs (and possibly

generating alternative income streams by finding secondary

markets for waste products)
n reducing environmental impacts due to waste disposal and
consumption of resources
n improving your business reputation and employee satisfaction
through promoting an environmentally responsible image and
providing an improved work environment.

Things to consider when improving

waste management practices
Implementing waste management improvements may require
forward planning and some changes to the way your business
operates. For example:
n Proposed actions, such as deciding where to locate

additional bins to store sorted materials, may need to be

discussed with managers, workplace safety representatives,
unions, insurers, investors, suppliers and customers to check
that they suit your operations and will not impact negatively
on food hygiene, safety and other standards.
n Employee training and awareness may be required to
successfully implement actions and support the introduction
of new equipment or processes, such as better segregation
of wastes.
n Monitoring waste generation and disposal, such as
checking collection contractors invoices or benchmarking
production against raw material purchases, is important for
environmental compliance, stock control and to measure
(and reward!) improvements.

Case study - waste reduction

saves money
A salad supplier reduced waste by repackaging rejected
or off-spec products that had been incorrectly sealed or
were underweight. The bags were opened by operators
and the contents were repackaged to minimise wastage.
The rejected plastic packaging was segregated for
baling and recycling.
Salad ingredients arrive at the processing facility in reusable tote boxes that are stacked in cages or on pallets,
all of which are returned to the supplier for reuse.
Single use plastic crates used by some seasonal suppliers
are recycled along with any broken crates and pallets.

Some common waste reduction opportunities for small to

medium fruit and vegetable processors are provided in the
following table. The costs, savings and payback periods are
provided as a rough guide only. They include estimates of up

waste saving fact sheet

Managing waste in the fruit and vegetable processing industry

front costs such as capital, labour and installation, but do not include ongoing costs unless these are fundamental to the option itself
(e.g. improved maintenance regimes).
The suitability and benefits of each option depend on the nature and size of your business and the scale of application. You should
also check that they comply with local environment, safety and other requirements.
The waste hierarchy provides a framework for managing waste: avoid; reduce; reuse; recycle; and dispose. Waste avoidance generally
delivers the best financial and environmental outcomes.
$ up to $1,000

$$ $1,000 - $10,000

$$$ $10,000 - $50,000

$$$$ $50,000+

Process change

Payback

Waste

period

hierarchy

Product waste

< 1 year

Avoid

Packaging
waste

< 1 year

Reuse

Purchase raw materials in returnable, recyclable

or reusable packaging (e.g. use plastic crates
for fruit and vegetable deliveries).

Packaging
waste

< 1 year

Reuse

Redesign or use lightweight product packaging to reduce

material consumption, increase the number of items packaged
into secondary packaging (e.g. boxes used to transport products),
and/or use recyclable and ethylene scavenging plastics.

$$

Packaging use

1 - 5 years

Avoid/
Recycle

Repair damaged timber pallets. Return pallets and boxes

to product suppliers for reuse or send to recycling.

Packaging
waste

< 2 years

Reuse/
Recycle

2-3 years

Reuse/
Recycle

3-5 years

Recycle

Option

Cost

Saving

Manage stock and ordering to avoid over-ordering and to ensure

that materials are used before their expiry date. Encourage use
of raw materials on a first-in first-used basis to avoid spoilage.

Donate off-spec products suitable for human consumption (e.g.

packaging is unsuitable for sale) to food recovery organisations
(e.g. FareShare). Off-spec food that is unsuitable for human
consumption may be suitable for stock feed or composting.

Optimise cleaning-in-place (CIP) systems to minimise

the use of caustic or other cleaning chemicals and wash
water. Install a caustic return storage system to enable
recycling of the caustic wash and final rinse.

$$-$$$

Chemical and
water use and
waste water
disposal

Explore opportunities to process by-products (e.g. seeds,

kernels, skins and peel) to extract oils and antioxidants
of value on-site or by other companies. Costs depend
on the level of separation and clean-up required.

$-$$$$

Putrescible
waste reuse

Further information
If you would like further information, or to talk to someone who can help get you started, please contact
Ai Groups Energy and Sustainable Business Helpdesk on 1300 733 752 or at sustainablebusiness@aigroup.asn.au
or visit the AiGroup website at www.aigroup.com.au.

AIG8610