Imagine arriving home after a long day of work. You wash your hands, open the refrigerator, take out some cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, and prepare a delicious salad. Now, what do you do with the waste? Perhaps while preparing the salad, you had to wash and remove husks, leaves, or seeds from these products. Do you throw these residues in the trash? Do you incorporate them into the soil or place them in a compost bin? How should you handle them?

These questions have already been pondered by agricultural companies, which have designed and implemented various strategies to ensure proper waste management.

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In food production, a range of activities occurs—from plant care and harvesting to product packaging. Throughout these processes, different types of waste are generated: organic, inorganic, and those requiring special handling.

1. Organic Waste: This category includes waste from pruning activities, such as branches and leaves removed from plants. Additionally, consider discarded tomatoes (to name one product) left in the field or as packaging waste.
2. Inorganic Waste: Materials resulting from packaging processes fall into this category. Examples include cardboard from product boxes and plastic lining pallets used for packaging.
3. Special Handling Waste: These materials, if not managed properly, can pose health risks and contaminate spaces. Examples include oils, containers, or empty containers from crop nutrition products.

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To avoid overlooking any waste, companies must implement waste management at each stage of their processes. They should identify the type of waste, when and where it is generated, and determine whether it can be recycled, reused, or requires special handling. Some companies may handle waste internally, while others may need third-party assistance.

Armed with this information, a waste management plan must be designed. This plan outlines the methodology for handling and disposal, specifies the frequency of actions, and assigns responsibility to internal and external parties. It’s important to note that companies managing special handling waste must hold licenses accredited by the national competent authority the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT).

Monitoring each activity within the plan ensures compliance with processes and timely detection of any mismanagement, allowing for corrective action. Additionally, experts evaluate the waste management programs established by companies during audits conducted by relevant authorities.

By: Claudio Jesus Roman Mosqueda – Internal Auditor / Veggies From Mexico