Caustic Dry Peeling of Cling Peaches to Reduce Water Pollution: Its Economic Feasibility

The economic feasibility of a new caustic dry method of peeling cling peaches is examined. The dry-peel method, developed as an alternative to the currently used wet-peel method, is designed to reduce the pollution in fruit canneries' wastewaters. By using the dry-peel method instead of the wet-peel method, a cling pea cannery would generate less wastewater and the pollution level of the water would be lower. The cannery would realize savings in fresh water costs. Savings in wastewater disposal costs would vary, depending on whether wastewater service charges are based partially on the water's biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) or only on the volume of wastewater discharged. Labor requirements would probably not increase. New equipment costs could be largely offset if a replacement cost is allocated for the old wet-peel equipment. Solid waste disposal costs would increase because some of the peeling loss would be recovered as a solid waste rather than being discharged into the wastewater stream. Such added costs would be at least partially offset, however, for canneries located in areas where BOD is a factor in computation of wastewater service charges.