What is residue? A thorough explanation from processing methods to the latest examples of effective utilization.
Residue refers to
Residue refers to the "leftover material" that remains after physical or chemical processing such as filtration, extraction, extinguishing, and combustion. It is generated in all aspects of life, from industrial settings to everyday life.
The following table summarizes typical residues.
|
classification |
Examples of residues |
Processes that occur |
| Food/agriculture | Coffee grounds, tea grounds, fruit peels, rice straw | Beverage extraction, food processing, harvesting |
| Industrial waste | Sludge, incinerator residue, dust | Wastewater treatment, incineration, boiler combustion |
| Chemical and Energy Systems | Distillation residue, filtration aid, refined residue | Petroleum refining, pharmaceutical manufacturing |
| Construction-related | Construction mixed waste, concrete blocks | Demolition work, infrastructure development |
Is it a waste to just throw away the residue?
Regarding the disposal risks of residues
Many waste products, especially food-related materials and sludge, contain a lot of moisture. Leaving these untreated or discarded can lead to the following risks:
- High processing costs: High moisture content increases the weight of the residue, leading to enormous transportation costs and fuel costs for incineration.
• Decay and foul odor: Moisture accelerates decay, generating foul odors in storage areas and work areas. This can lead to a deterioration of the work environment and impact on the surrounding area.
- Leakage of hazardous substances: Wastewater may seep out from unattended residue, potentially contaminating soil and rivers.
What is residue utilization?
As described above, residues are difficult to process, but efforts to "utilize residues"—converting them into energy and materials—are attracting attention.
For example, agricultural residues such as rice straw and rice husks can be fermented using microorganisms to extract methane gas, which can be used as an energy source. Also, food waste produced during food processing is originally a nutrient-rich food ingredient. If processed properly, it can be transformed into high-quality fertilizer that returns to the soil.
From these perspectives, residues can become excellent recycled resources when combined with appropriate technologies.
Here's how to dispose of the residue.
Traditionally, waste residues were disposed of through incineration or landfill. However, as mentioned earlier, waste residues often contain high levels of moisture, resulting in high incineration and transportation costs. Furthermore, these methods have issues such as carbon dioxide emissions and the release of hazardous substances. Against this backdrop, there is a growing movement to reconsider and adopt more environmentally friendly disposal methods.
Here are three alternative disposal methods to incineration and landfill.
Drying and weight reduction treatment
The biggest challenge in residue processing is "moisture." Residue with high moisture content is prone to spoilage and its weight makes transportation costs high. In contrast, "drying and weight reduction processing" involves applying heat to remove moisture and significantly reduce the volume and weight.
This method not only reduces waste disposal costs, but the dried residue can sometimes be used as compost, animal feed, or a combustion aid, making it noteworthy from a circular economy perspective.
Product introduction
■Waste drying and reduction device MeltKing IoT
MeltKing IoT is a waste drying and reduction device that reduces and sterilizes waste by indirectly heating and agitating it at high temperatures. Because it dries and reduces waste using an environmentally friendly indirect heating method, the processed material can be recycled as fertilizer (*).
*Some materials may not be suitable for processing.
Decomposition process using the power of microorganisms
For residues with a high organic matter content, such as food waste and organic sludge, treatment methods that utilize the power of microorganisms for decomposition are suitable. Because these methods do not use chemicals and rely on natural processes, they have a low environmental impact.
Product introduction
■Microbial decomposition type food waste disposer E-Cube
E-Cube is a fully self-contained food waste processor that uses the power of microorganisms to convert food scraps and kitchen waste into water, achieving a 100% volume reduction rate. It grinds up the food waste while microorganisms decompose it, and the remaining water after processing can be discharged into a septic tank or sewer system.
We offer various sizes to accommodate different amounts of food waste, with processing capacities ranging from a minimum of 10 kg to a maximum of 750 kg.
Squeezing to dehydrate and reduce weight
Dehydration is an effective method for removing residues with high water content, such as food waste and sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes. Dehydration involves mechanically applying pressure to squeeze out the water, thereby dehydrating and reducing the weight of the residue.
Performing this process before disposal reduces the energy load on subsequent processes, leading to overall cost savings. Furthermore, it is also capable of handling inorganic sludge.
Product introduction
■Screw press dehydrator DM series
The screw press dewatering machine, with its unique structure, minimizes clogging while delivering high dewatering performance. Its ease of maintenance and low running costs make it ideal for sites where reliable weight reduction is desired.
If you are having trouble with residue disposal, please contact Macnica
"We want to lower the cost of processing waste," "We want to achieve environmentally friendly recycling, but we don't know where to start."
If you are facing such challenges, please feel free to contact Macnica
At Macnica, we offer solutions for waste treatment and effective utilization that utilize the latest technologies, aiming to realize a circular economy.