Orange Peels As Alternative Fuel?

Orange juice is perhaps the most wasteful thing to make with oranges. Luckily, a chemist has discovered how to convert the orange peels (and pulpy waste) to ethanol, biodegradable plastic, and eco-friendly cleaning products.

Professor James Clark from York University has discovered an extraction method using high-powered microwaves, and the university has created a project to further his research. It's called the Orange Peel Exploitation Company (OPEC — rings a bell, doesn't it?).

This is definitely good news for the world, especially because more than three million tons of orange peels rot away a year in Brazil, the world's largest orange juice producer.

The Daily Byte is a regular column dedicated to covering interesting food news and trends across the country. Click here for previous columns.