| Article ID: | iaor20091164 |
| Country: | Netherlands |
| Volume: | 99 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| Start Page Number: | 469 |
| End Page Number: | 477 |
| Publication Date: | Apr 2008 |
| Journal: | Biosystems Engineering |
| Authors: | Aguilar Fernando J., Parra Salvador, Calatrava Javier |
| Keywords: | agriculture & food |
Over 380 000 tonnes of vegetable waste are produced annually in the ‘Campo de Dalías’ zone (Almería, South-eastern Spain) from horticultural crops grown in greenhouses. Landfills containing this vegetable waste are a potential breeding ground for diseases and pests and a source of greenhouse gas (methane). Moreover, they may also cause uncontrolled burning, riverbed blockage, poisoning of animals and produce an undesirable visual impact on the landscape. The only way to prevent or minimize this problem is to adopt a comprehensive and environmentally sensitive waste management programme.