By-product facts for kids
A by-product is something extra that gets made when you are producing a main product in a factory or workshop. Think of it like baking cookies: the cookies are your main product, but the dough scraps left on the counter might be a by-product. Often, by-products are not used and can become waste that goes into a landfill (a big place where garbage is buried). Sometimes, these by-products can even be harmful or toxic to people, animals, or the environment.
However, many companies are now trying to find smart ways to use or recycle these by-products instead of just throwing them away. This helps reduce waste and can even create new useful things!
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What are By-products?
A by-product is an extra material or substance that comes out of a manufacturing process. It's not the main thing you set out to make, but it's produced alongside it.
For example:
- When wood is cut into planks for building, the sawdust and wood chips are by-products.
- When sugar is made from sugar cane, a thick, dark syrup called molasses is a by-product.
By-products and Waste
Historically, many by-products were simply thrown away. This created a lot of waste and could lead to environmental problems, especially if the by-products were toxic. Landfills can fill up quickly, and harmful substances can leak into the soil and water.
Finding New Uses for By-products
Today, there's a big push to turn by-products into something valuable. This idea is sometimes called "waste valorization" or "circular economy." It means finding ways to reuse, recycle, or even create new products from what was once considered trash.
For example:
- Sawdust can be used to make particle board, wood pellets for heating, or even compost for gardens.
- Molasses, a by-product of sugar production, is used in baking, to make rum, or as animal feed.
- By-products from fruit juice production (like fruit pulp and peels) can be used to make animal feed, compost, or even new food ingredients.
This approach helps reduce pollution, saves natural resources, and can even save companies money.
Animal By-products
Animal by-products are parts of animals that are left over after they have been processed for human food. These are the parts that people usually don't eat.
For example, when animals are prepared for meat, things like bones, organs (that aren't eaten by humans), blood, and fat are considered animal by-products.
Uses for Animal By-products
Even though humans don't typically eat these parts, animal by-products are very useful! They are often used to make:
- Pet food for dogs and cats.
- Animal feed for farm animals like chickens or pigs.
- Other products like gelatin (used in desserts and medicines), soap, fertilizer, and even some cosmetics.
Using these by-products means that less of the animal goes to waste, which is more efficient and sustainable.
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