Resumen: La industria florícola de Ecuador tiene un papel destacado como uno de los principales

exportadores a nivel mundial. Sin embargo, esta producción genera desperdicios que perjudican al medio

ambiente, como contaminación del agua y suelo, daños a la biodiversidad y emisiones de gases de efecto

invernadero. Por tanto, es crucial implementar prácticas sostenibles. En este trabajo se realizará un análisis de

la cadena de suministro para proponer un sistema de producción más limpio y eficiente en el sector florícola.

El objetivo es reducir el impacto negativo en el medio ambiente, buscando soluciones para minimizar el

desperdicio de agua y adoptar tecnologías energéticamente eficientes. Con estas medidas, se busca lograr

una producción de flores más sostenible, preservando los recursos naturales y protegiendo el entorno

ambiental.

Keywords: Floricultura, producción más limpia, gestión de residuos.

Abstract. - Ecuador's Floriculture Industry is essential as one of the biggest flower producers exporting

flowers worldwide. However, flower production generates harmful environmental waste, emitting

greenhouse gases. Therefore, it is vital to implement sustainable practices. In this document, an analysis of

the supply chain will be conducted to provide a cleaner production system and efficiency for the Floriculture

Industry. The objective is to reduce the harmful impact on the environment, searching solutions to minimize

water use and develop energy-efficient technology. As a result, we look forward to sustainable flower

production, protecting the environment and natural resources.

Keywords: Floriculture, cleaner production, waste management.

Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

ISSN-E: 2697-3650

Minerva Journal

León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Plan de utilización de los desperdicios dentro de las florícolas

Recibido (16/02/2023), Aceptado (23/06/2023)

Vol.4, Issue N°11, (pp. 31-40)

León Joaquín

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8383-3875

joaquin.leon@udla.edu.ec

Universidad de las Américas

Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas

Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial

Quito-Ecuador

https://doi.org/10.47460/minerva.v4i11.126

Pavón Mishel

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7848-0878

mishel.pavon@udla.edu.ec

Universidad de las Américas

Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas

Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial

Quito-Ecuador

Murillo Diego

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5004-4101

diego.murillo@udla.edu.ec

Universidad de las Américas

Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas

Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial

Quito-Ecuador

León Mateo

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9291-2297

bryan.leon.narvaez@udla.edu.ec

Universidad de las Américas

Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas

Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial

Quito-Ecuador

Guatumillo Damaris

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7236-4263

damaris.guatumillo@udla.edu.ec

Universidad de las Américas

Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas

Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial

Quito-Ecuador

Toroshina Joel

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8351-5445

joel.toroshina@udla.edu.ec

Universidad de Las Américas

Facultad De Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas

Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial

Quito-Ecuador

I. INTRODUCTION

The floricultural industry has grown from 2000 to 2020 from $3.7 billion annually to $7.9 billion,

representing an annual growth of 3.9% of the market. The global flower market is stocked in 30% of South

America, highlighting Colombia and Ecuador providing over 97% of all flowers from the region [1]. In Ecuador

in 2022 116 thousand tons of flowers were exported to the market, valued at $638 million [2]. The export of

flowers requires a system of transportation and cold storage, which requires adequate infrastructure to

preserve their condition and characteristics. In addition, production involves several stages from planting to

selling the flowers. It begins with the selection and sowing of seeds or bulbs, followed by cultivation in

greenhouses under controlled conditions. During growth, care and management of the plants are

conducted, including irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. Once the flowers are at optimum maturity,

harvesting occurs, followed by post-harvest processes such as cutting, treatment with preservatives, and

proper packaging. The flowers are then transported under refrigerated conditions to maintain freshness and

distributed to wholesalers, retailers, or exporters. The following document will analyze the supply chain for

the Floriculture sector through simulation to propose a cleaner production system. The inefficient use of

water, both through inadequate irrigation systems and excessive irrigation, can deplete local water resources

and affect aquatic ecosystems. The intensive use of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers can

contaminate soil and water, damaging biodiversity. Packaging waste, such as plastics and cardboard, can end

up in landfills or the environment, contributing to pollution [3]. Therefore, it is considered crucial to address

the problem of waste in flower farms to reduce the negative impact of waste through sustainable practices

that optimize the use of waste to create sustainable production and improve the image and reputation of the

companies that dedicate their activity to planting flowers.

II. DEVELOPMENT

In the present work, different topics related to the implementation of methodologies within cleaner

production will be applied to support us in the development of a proposal that takes advantage of the waste

generated in the flower farms Description and diagramming of the production process: Detailed explanation

of the different stages and activities in the manufacture of a product [4].

A. Bizagi: Software that uses a BPM approach to help optimize operations and improve organizational

efficiency, analyzing processes and identifying areas for improvement by visualizing and managing processes

intuitively and collaboratively [5].

B. Flow of materials: Each resource involved in the production process is identified and described to find

the efficient and sustainable management of materials within the processes, minimizing the consumption of

resources and waste [6].

C. Production process simulation: A technique that uses computer models to mimic and represent the

behavior of a production process in a virtual environment. It allows for analyzing and evaluating different

scenarios, making informed decisions, and optimizing the operational efficiency of the process[7].

D. FlexSim: 3D simulation software that allows modeling and simulation of complex systems for different

industries [8].

E. Identify areas for improvement: Identify and recognize areas or aspects of an organization, process, or

system that can be improved to achieve better performance or meet specific objectives.

F. Ishikawa: Visual tool used to identify and explore the potential causes of a problem [9].

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León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

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G. Improvement proposal: Plan or set of specific actions designed to improve an existing process, product,

or system.

H. Cost Analysis: The process of examining and evaluating costs related to production [10].

III. METHODOLOGY

A. Description and layout of the production process:

For the flower industry, the production process description goes from the seeds sowing to their

commercialization. This can be summarized as the preparation of the land, which involves leveling and

eliminating weeds. Next, the roses are planted in appropriate patterns. During the care and handling of the

plants, irrigation, fertilization, and protection against pests are carried out. Harvesting is performed at

optimum maturity, followed by post-harvest processing, including sorting, removing leaves and thorns, and

treatment with preservative solutions. They are then packed and stored under appropriate conditions (Fig. 1)

The following is the process, which has been mapped and diagrammed using Bizagi software, detailing the

activities and phases involved in the production of roses in an Ecuadorian flower farm, which we will analyze

during the development of this project.

León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Fig. 1. Entry phase, roses production.

Fig. 2. Rose production.

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B. Flow of materials

The flow of materials and quantities wasted based on historical data are detailed below.

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Fig. 3. Rose production two.

Fig. 4. Quality and output phase.

Table 1a. Flow of materials.

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León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Table 1b. Porducts and waste.

Table 1c. Main supplies.

C. Production process simulation

Fig. 5. Process simulation.

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The model has detailed the growth of roses as a flow through the processes necessary for healthy and

abundant production. It has detailed input flows, such as electric current and water, as well as a

representation of both solid and liquid wastes.

D. Identification of areas for improvement

In addressing the problem of water and organic waste on flower farms, it is necessary to identify the root

causes. These include more staff awareness and training, efficient irrigation and water conservation systems,

and standardized working methods for waste management. By analyzing these causes, strategies can be

implemented to optimize resource use, reduce waste, and improve efficiency in flower production. It includes

providing adequate training, using advanced irrigation technologies, promoting reuse practices, and

establishing clear procedures for waste management. By addressing these areas of improvement, flower

farms can reduce their environmental impact and promote more sustainable and responsible production.

A.Improvement proposal and cost analysis

A remediation plant is designed to treat waste the floriculture industry generates. The floriculture industry

is dedicated to cultivating and producing flowers and can develop distinct types of waste, such as

wastewater, used cultivation substrates, packaging, and pesticide residues, among others. However, having

data such as the presented waste, which is 100,000 stems every two months, representing 15% of waste, we

will focus on designing the remediation plant to reduce and give use to the destruction presented within the

floriculture.

According to the data obtained by the public flower company, a remediation plant for about 250 thousand

square meters costs about 500 thousand dollars. The purpose of the plant is to reuse the waste, make

better use of the waste for the organic part, and generate organic fertilizer, which makes the soils recover

their lost nutrients. These fertilizers developed in the remediation plant would be used to treat the ground of

the flower farm and sell it. It should be noted that each bag of about 45 kg of compost costs 6 dollars. For

each waste that arrives at the plant, there is a transportation cost of $96 to carry 15 cubic meters of plant

waste, so it was also proposed to have its dump truck transport the debris from the flower farm to the plant.

As a first step to determine the costs of this plant, we searched for a 140 m2 plot of land to establish the

plant in a strategic position.

León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Fig. 6. Ishikawa Waste Production

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In the design process of the remediation plant, rainwater collection through a tank will be used. The

location in La Esperanza, Ecuador, was selected due to the high number of rainy days recorded. With about

214 rainy days per year, representing 58% of the days, it will be possible to benefit from rainwater for the

remediation plant while at the same time contributing to the care of the environment., it will be possible to

benefit from rainwater for the remediation plant while at the same time contributing to the care of the

environment.

Similarly, a rainwater collection tank will be used since the place where the remediation plant will be located

in Ecuador has many rainy days during the year, as can be seen in the following graph of the 365 days of the

year it rains about 214 days, which means that 58% of the days it rains, so we could benefit from this water

for the remediation plant and also help the environment.

Fig. 7. Area for remediation of plant.

León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Table 2. Rain and humidity.

Different machinery is needed to implement the remediation plant, such as a backhoe, extraction pumps,

aeration towers, filtration systems, monitoring equipment, and a water collection tank. Also, these costs

include the machinery that will be needed for the water treatment plant. a water collection tank. Also, these

costs include the machinery that will be needed for the water treatment plant.

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León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Table 3. Costs for the remediation plant

Table 4. Investment Analysis VAN and TIR.

F. Remediation Plant Process.

Fig. 8. Remediation plan process.

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G. P&ID Blueprint Water treatment plant

The proposed water treatment plant will help us for the use within the remediation plant and for the flower

farm itself. By having water stored inside the flower farm, this is transported to the remediation plant where

the water treatment plant will be located and thus be able to use that water and reuse it; at the same time,

the proposed water plant can also work with rainwater which is a significant amount due to the area where it

is located.

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León J. et al. Waste managing plan for floriculture plants

Fig. 9. P&ID map.

IV. RESULTS

Implementing a waste utilization plan within flower farms, especially in rose production, can increase

sustainability and reduce environmental impacts. Ordinary wastes in rose production include stems and

excessive water use. First, rose stems, usually discarded after harvesting and cutting, can represent a

valuable opportunity for utilization. These stems can be collected and used for compost production to

regenerate soil nutrients. By integrating a system of proper stem collection and management, floriculture can

maximize the value of these residues and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. There is also

excessive water use in rose production, as roses require irrigation and are often improperly managed,

resulting in destruction. To address this problem within this project, the feasibility of implementing the water

collection plan and its corresponding treatment to optimize its use in the process and for the proposed

compost was evidenced. An adequate waste management plan brings environmental benefits and economic

and competitive advantages for flower farms.

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CONCLUSIONS

Using simulation programs such as FlexSim within production processes is of utmost importance, as it will

allow us to optimize them, increase their efficiency, and reduce costs. Because it helps us identify bottlenecks

and problems in the supply chain through data, this will be essential to propose improvement solutions

based on results, translating into higher performance and competitiveness for other floriculture companies.

In conclusion, a water treatment plant for a flower farm is a crucial and necessary investment to ensure

proper and sustainable management of the water used in the production process, in addition to the fact that

it can help with other methods, as in this case for the remediation plant that will help generate new revenue

for the company and take advantage of both the waste from the roses and the water.

In short, the remediation plant is a crucial tool for addressing soil and water contamination. It provides an

effective solution to restore the environment recover contaminated soils, and all in a natural way, and it is

worth highlighting its profitability as it will be a new source of income. Its implementation is essential to

achieve responsible and sustainable environmental management.

The flow of materials in a flower shop is essential to ensure product quality, customer satisfaction, and

operational efficiency. Proper management of raw materials, from procurement to processing and

distribution, is critical to the success of the flower shop and its ability to offer fresh, quality products to its

customers.

REFERENCES

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