Discarding and final destination of açaí lumps in the Oriental Amazon – Brazil

Abstract

The intensification of the production of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and the increase in consumption resulted in the generation of significant amounts of waste that require an adequate final destination. The objective of the research was to evaluate how occors the discarding and final disposal of açaí lumps processed in Macapá and Santana counties-AP. Thus, semi-structured forms were applied to 212 artisanal açaí beaters (151 in Macapá and 61 in Santana). Information on the disposal and destination of seeds from the açaí mixers were spatialized using the ArcGis software. The results showed that the form of discarding of processed açaí lumps and their final destination are not determined by the size of the açaí-processing shops. However, final disposal was influenced by the higher estimated profit (p<0.05). Most of the disposal and destination are inadequate (53%) and still depend on specific management and legislation that result in environmentally sustainable alternatives.