We don't need to turn waste into treasure; we need it not to be waste.
Argentinian fellow Mariela Torres went to the Cuban Institute for Research on Sugacane By-Products (ICIDCA) as part of her international research group's efforts to turn the waste of the sugar cane industry into valuable materials. Her research focuses on turning vinasse, a highly acidic and saline organic residual sludge from ethanol production, into a useful agronomic tool. Vinasse can be used as a fertilizer and animal feed enhancer because it contains nutrients like potassium, but its use is minimal due to its inconvenient physicochemical properties. Mariela's work seeks to improve its usability by fermenting it with microorganisms that could reduce its acidity and help plants grow by controlling phytopathogens upon application to the soil.
We thank her mentor and tutor, Drs. Carlos Nieto Peñalver (PROIMI-CONICET, Tucuman, Argentina) and Georgina Michelena Álvarez (ICIDCA) for contributing to this push towards circular economies.
