Waste Management Model Based on Reverse Logistics and 5S for the Generation of Biomass in the Fresh Fruit Industry

Abstract

Agricultural companies usually experience fresh fruit losses and waste throughout process chains. In fact, approximately 55% of worldwide losses and waste from fruit and vegetable production come from Latin America. These wastes are due to factors such as deterioration during distribution, fruit flies at harvest time, inadequate selection and classification processes, and climatic factors. Therefore, a waste management model, supported by reverse logistics and the 5S Methodology, was developed to generate added value by leveraging the biomass available. In this model, the 5S Methodology is implemented to reduce waste and improve waste management. Next, biomass production is assessed to estimate its economic and environmental impact on the company. The model proposed is then validated through a case study implementation at Agro Peru SAC, a Peruvian agricultural company. After this implementation, the results obtained reported 2.57% less waste generated, a 2.37% increase in revenue, and a 12.02 % reduction in processing times.