Reaping benefits from waste

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Advocate - According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the use of animal guts to produce biodiesel is not a new technology. However, of late there has been growing interest in “aquaticbiofuels” – producing bio diesel from fish gut. Fish oil comes from leftover waste and is mixed with methanol and other products. Certainly, as island states, knowledge about such technology should be of interest to us. Commercialising our waste in this regard produces local energy, but also attracts a wider cross-section of intellectual muscle into the fishing industry, particularly in the areas of scientific research and technology. According to the FAO, the technology is adaptable to many parts of the world and can provide livelihoods and produce local energy, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. The technology required here takes little investment; energy can be produced at little cost and ultimately can have a positive impact on food security and energy security. Having just discussed using the waste for fuel, you can begin to imagine the increase in income to be made from fish, if we as a people were to recognise the commercial value of what we’ve been discarding.