Waste management in sugar mills - A study

This paper attempts to provide an organized view of wastes being generated in sugar mills and suggests a systemic perspective to their management by highlighting the importance of waste management. Research focus in the sugar technology literature has been confined to recovery of the sugar from various stages of losses and finding the best use of by-products. This orientation of the subject leaves managerial issue unattended and therefore unresolved. Sugar industry wastes should more appropriately be identified in terms of man, machine, material energy, time, space, capital, services, data and information etc. A balanced design of waste management functions reduces the overall wastivity of the sugar industry. Wastivity is a complementary concept of productivity. A case study of wastivity and productivity in a sugar mill is reported. Further analysis reveals weak areas where improvements are possible.