Yarn producer Inca Tops has developed an innovative solution that generates renewable energy and biofertilizers from waste from their current fiber production. 

The solid waste generated during the production of alpaca and sheep wool currently has no economic value and is landfilled. Prior to this pilot project, Inca Tops reported discarding 4 tons of fiber waste.

By inoculating the fiber waste with native microbial and fungal strains in a dry anaerobic digestion (DAD) reactor, the decomposition of the waste produces biogas with high methane values and biofertilizers with high and diversified mineral content. The pilot project will treat 100 kg of residual fiber per day. 

The innovative source of renewable energy and fertilizers is through the quick and efficient treatment of solid waste generated in the textile industry. The first results of their pilot project showed that 200 liters of concentrated inoculum can degrade more than two tons of waste, which has halved the waste they would otherwise send to landfill. 

This pilot required an investment of 380.000 soles, of which about 70% was contributed by the Ministry of Production through the Innóvate Peru Program. 

In 2019, Inca Tops was in the process of patenting the microbial strains they identified with Indecopi (National Consumer Protection Authority).

Image Credit: Jessica Knowles © Unsplash