Millions from WasteTalbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose
Philosophy
Millions from Waste
Talbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose
Salvage (Waste, etc.); Waste products
I mentioned that, in the segregation of the wastes at the cook-house,
special emphasis is laid upon the necessity to prevent the combination
of all green vegetable refuse with the swill. This is essential,
because in the subsequent cooking operation the dye from the green
waste is extracted as every housewife knows, and, mingling with the
fat, will steep the latter a pronounced greenish hue. This detracts
very pronouncedly from the value of the fat because the dye, being
of vegetable origin, cannot possibly be eliminated in the subsequent
manufacturing operations through which the fat is passed. On the other
hand, the deep yellow tinge which is likely to result from the presence
of curry waste in the swill is not deleterious because it can be
readily discharged.
For some time the disposal of the green vegetable waste presented a
thorny problem. Farmers were not prepared to purchase it with the
ordinary cooked pig-food, for the simple reason that they already
possessed a surfeit of this refuse in their fields. Cremation appeared
to be the only possible solution of the difficulty, the accumulations
being somewhat formidable, but as a result of experiment the difficulty
was very neatly and profitably overcome. This garbage, together with
other waste of a comparative character, is subjected to a desiccating
process to yield a product which is adapted to association with other
approved by-products, without depreciating the pecuniary or other value
of the whole, for poultry feeding.
Both plant and processes are extremely simple. Nor is a pretentious
staff required. Six men suffice to attend to an installation capable of
dealing with the swill contributed daily by a unit of 15,000 men. One
hand tends the engine and boiler for the supply of steam and power; two
men are responsible for the conduct of the melter; while two additional
men wait upon the turbine extractor. The sixth man is retained to
operate the bone crusher. This staff need only be increased, as the
volume of work rises from any accretion to the camp, to the extent of
one man for every additional 5,000 soldiers.
The wastage of bread, for the most part inadvertently, is far heavier
than may be supposed. Possibly the heaviest proportion of waste arises
from unconscious crumbling of the article during conversation at the
table. Observation revealed that the accumulation of such crumbs and
crusts was pronounced, while it was also discovered that a heavy
contribution was extended by the bakery as the result of cutting up the
loaves. The loss of flour incurred during the preparation of the bread
and pastry was also found to be appreciable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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