“A biorefinery is the integral upstream, midstream, and downstream processing of biomass into a range of products” (de Jong & Jungmeier, 2015). In recent years, substantial steps have been taken into consideration to reach a bio based economy. Biorefineries incorporates the conversion of biomass into a variety of products. The innovation of conversion technologies offers potential to use different kinds of biomass from agricultural crops, residues from households including wood etc. “A biorefinery should produce a spectrum of marketable products and energy. The products can be both intermediates and final products, and include food, feed, materials, and chemicals; whereas energy includes fuels, power, and/or heat.” (de Jong & Jungmeier, 2015). There are different types of biorefineries where in these biorefineries are classified according to the biomass it uses. Second-generation biorefineries are based on biomass feedstock that are more widely available and that are not directly used as food, although some are used as livestock feed. Technologies are under development to efficiently convert biomass into ethanol as well as valuable co-products. (Hughes, Gibbons, Moser & Rich, 2013). Other types or generations of biorefineries use feedstock that may also be of food or feed use, algal biomass, etc.
Tarlac province which is situated at the central plains has rice and sugarcane as its principal crops. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has signed a deal with the state-run Tarlac College of Agriculture (TCA) to train farmers in Central Luzon on proper management of agricultural waste (Villanueva, 2015). Undersecretary Jonas Leones, chief of the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau, said the agreement was an important step toward addressing environmental problems associated with improper management of waste from farm operations. He referred to agricultural waste as a major pollution hazard. (Villanueva, 2015). According to Teodoro C. Mendoza (2015), there are particularly rice farmers who already recognize the benefits of no burning crop residue but these numbers of farmers still remains small in percentage compared to the many who still exercise burning crop residues. He also stated that there are no specific mentions about no burning of crop residues for the two laws: Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and Clean Air Act. A good opportunity for the biomass of these considered principal crops of the Tarlac province to be converted into another product that has more enhanced value, thus maximizing the use of these waste might as well help with the businesses providing goods and services that may be involved with the said products.
Agricultural waste when are not given proper handling is just as dangerous as the other types of waste especially which may cause further problems like contamination of surrounding water bodies, health related issues, introduction of foreign toxins into the neighboring areas and other negative effects in the ecosystem. Since a plan has already commenced regarding proper agricultural waste management, an environmental friendly act towards the use of these waste might as well help lessen the volume of these waste rather than dumping them at a sanitary landfill and wait for it to decompose at some time.
In response with the said agreement and the matter concerning about proper management of waste from farm operations addressing its environmental problems, this project aims to attain the following objectives:
- To propose a structure that will be able to utilize rice straw and waste paper.
- To promote a bio-based economy supporting sustainable development.
- To project the guidelines and protocols that falls under industrial or recycling waste facilities.
Biorefineries are expected to subsidize to the wide range of products responding to the needs of people. This project will be a significant endeavor in reducing material waste particularly agricultural trash from rice and to convert them to a more useful material. This project will also be beneficial to the students, architects, instructors, and professors in the field of Architecture when they study effective data particularly in different innovations related to the conversion of rice biomass. Furthermore, this project will be helpful to the agricultural industry in advising them with the matter of biorefineries’ approaches and purposes. It will also function as a future reference for researchers on the topic of integrated biorefineries. Most importantly, this project will aid the environmental groups or organizations on deciding whether this industry is accomplishing its accountabilities to the community it is serving.
This proposal is in line with the proper management of agricultural waste. Though a biorefinery consists of different types, pulp and paper biorefineries will be the main focus of this research wherein paper production from rice straw and waste paper will be covered. Other types of waste not relevant for the project will not be undertaken. The study won’t concern the processes of collection, baling and hauling of residues from rice farms and junk shops but will affect the traffic generation of vehicles inside the development during delivery, transferring, loading and unloading of raw and finished materials, thus the cost of collection, hauling and market cost of the materials will not be covered. Other innovative technologies not needed for the project will not be tackled further.