Cleaner production alternatives for the “Puro Puyo” distillery, Pastaza, Ecuador

Abstract

The Pastaza province has planted around 4500 hectares of sugar cane, which corresponds to 55% of the total in the Amazon, and the manufacture of sugar cane brandy is an important economic activity. The objective of this document was to analyze the environmental situation and the potentialities of applying cleaner production (CP) in the “Puro Puyo” distillery, located in the “Santa María” farm. An initial on-site diagnosis of the process conditions was made. Inputs and outputs were quantified, an ecomap with critical points was prepared, and three CP options were designed to be evaluated. The results of the technical and economic feasibility analysis of the CP options (condensed water recirculation, heat recovery and composting) show that they can be favorable to the process. The CP options to be implemented have an increase of 13.2% in the cost benefit ratio of the "Santa María" farm.  Additionally, indicators such as the consumption of water, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), decreased by 65%, 70% and 57%, respectively, with economic and environmental benefits due to the consequent saving of resources and decrease in emissions. Finally, the CP implementation in the distillery can be a fundamental step to achieve superior economic and environmental development for small and medium-sized companies in the region.