Fermentation of the cocoa beans after harvest requires that palm fronds, banana or plantain leaves (basket fermentation) or raised platforms of sticks (heap fermentation) be constructed. This results in the defoliation and cutting of trees and bamboo, which can increase soil instability. For each tonne of cocoa beans harvested, the production process generates nearly ten tonnes of pod husks which can be either discarded or maintained within cocoa groves as organic fertilizer (the latter practice, however, has been found to encourage certain plant diseases).
Grinding mills, roasting and other processing of spices, cocoa, coffee and tea present a number of hazards. They include flying particles (such as hulls, stems, leaves and other impurities) and dusts and powders. Strong aromas produced in storage or manufacture can be considered air pollutants as they cause some people to become nauseated.