Capital Breeders: Finding a Use for Agricultural Waste

Capital Breeders was a major player in the Zambian poultry industry. From processing chickens, Capital Breeders created substantial waste, namely feathers and blood. The company was interested in both saving money and improving its environmental performance. It assessed four alternative uses for this waste: the production of sustainable biomaterials, bio-based fertilizer, bioenergy production, and animal feed. Students were asked to make a qualitative assessment of the options, ultimately ranking them in terms of initial feasibility. The case also provided an opportunity to discuss the ethics of waste diversion in the poultry industry.