Sugar Beet Pulp in the Context of Developing the Concept of Circular Bioeconomy

Abstract

The primary objective of this paper is to identify the possibilities of using sugar beet pulp as feedstock to produce a variety of added-value products. Such an application of the sugar production byproducts contributes to implementing circular bio-economy, which is a source of many economic, social, and environmental benefits. Specific objectives of this paper are: (1) Presenting the concept and meaning of circular bio-economy. (2) Characterizing properties of the sugar beet pulp from the perspective of using them as feedstock. (3) Determining the volume of production of the sugar beet pulp and the current methods of using them. (4) Determining the methods of obtaining attractive bioproducts and renewable energy from sugar beet pulp. Special attention was given to the amount of sugar beet pulp produced in Polish sugar refineries. Poland is among the European countries in which the volume of produced sugar is especially high. Therefore, the problem of appropriate waste management in the Polish sugar industry gains significant importance. The conducted literature review demonstrated that sugar beet pulp might be used as a feedstock in the production of many bio-products produced using a variety of methods.