Environmental Issues in Dairy Processing - Essay Example

Environmental Issues in Dairy Processing Introduction Of all the milk-processing co-operatives, the Fonterra C-operative Group is the biggest. It has approximately 10,500 farmers drawn from all over New Zealand and who supply milk to the co-operative. Under the wider Fonterra Group are 26 constituent sites. The Co-operative’s products are mostly exported with only about 5% used in New Zealand. Fonterra Tirau is one of the 26 sites. Its peak season is between August and December, with a capacity of processing 2.9 million liters of milk. The site produces milk and milk by-products, with an average 1,400 tons of lactalbumin, ethanol, and casein produced annually for local and international markets. This site is unique because it is a sole producer of lactalbumin in the entire New Zealand. Lactic casein is produced in quantities amounting to about 7,000 tons. It is used in industrial and pharmaceutical purposes as a binding agent. In addition, there are about 3 million liters of ethanol resulting from the distillation of fermented whey. This ethanol is further used in production of deodorants, solvents for industries, and in making perfume (Tirau, 2014). The Tirau site complies with the ISO 15001 International Environmental Management Systems, which it does by carrying out annual audits in regards to its waste management and energy regulation. Some of the processes it executes in order to meet these conditions include treating its wastewater, controlling nitrogen disposals, and considering air quality around it. Much of its water is pumped from the Oraka Stream, and depending on the season, the water pumped from it varies. For instance, during the peak seasons, the daily water intake can average 9,700 cubic meters. According to (Resource Consents Application, 2011), the site has always been within the permissible emission levels, and has never been accused of polluting air since its inception in 1933. Impact assessment An Environmental Impact Assessment has several factors to evaluate within the Fonterra Tirau site considering the multiple relations it has with the environment. First is the wastewater that is treated. The water should be checked to ensure that the nutrients contained in it after release into the environment are not of harmful levels. This has to be considered lest the water changes the overall quality of the water source to which it is disposed. As such, water sources such as the Oraka stream should be kept clear of pollutants and no alteration of its chemical composition should be altered by Fonterra’s presence in the area. Apart from the treated wastewater, other spillages of milk or its by-products should not end up in the environment as they are prone to subject the Co-operative to legal authorities, as was the case in 2011 when it was charged for spillage in one of its sites. The reason was that nitric acid and a caustic cleaner had ended up into water sources, posing danger to its users (Limited A.N, 2010). The second important aspect to be considered is the soil inside and around Fonterra Tirau. This is necessary because the materials and processes that are used in the milk processing can be harmful to the environment (soil) if care is not taken in their handling. If leakages or spillages occur, they can foster the micro - organism spread. Nitrogen, which is a major byproduct in the lactalbumin processing can easily leach into underground water and result in contamination of underground water sources. The other concern is that the nature of milk by-products is such that it can hamper oxygen supply in the soil, or disrupt infiltration. These in general would affect soil quality by polluting it, and this would end up even into waterways (Barnett, Robertson& Russell, n.d.). Thirdly, although not much considered is the inconvenience that might be caused by the heavy commercial vehicles, which are constantly moving into or out of Fonterra Tirau. Owing to the fact that they are large, they have the potential to cause much noise and congestion of traffic in the area around Tirau. This is the same case with the heavy plant machinery used. In the light of this, it is the mandate of Fonterra Tirau to ensure that the machinery and trucks accessing the area do not have negative effects to the surrounding (Lundie, Schulz, Peters, & Nebel, 2009). Finally, air quality should be a factor very sensitive, and should be considered as well. Plant processes such as fermenting of lactic casein, bad milk, or other resulting wastes have the potential to cause bad odor. This is furthered by the fact that milk and its products are very prone to bacterial degradation, and which happens rapidly. It is important to note that the nose does not necessarily detect the odor, and that some is odorless, but still harmful if inhaled. The Environmental Impact Assessment should therefore see to it that Fonterra Tirau installs all measures in ensuring that the level of emissions does not exceed the permitted ones. Although some residents living near the site reported to have detected some odor, possibly originating from the site, it has not been reported in the large-scale, and it can therefore be stated that the site adheres to the agreed emission guidelines (Resource Consents Application, 2011). Environmental Management Tools Having considered the potential damage it was capable of causing the environment, Fonterra devised some programs aimed at minimizing the impact it would effect to the environment. These programs are collectively re-use of items termed un-recyclable, and by recycling what can be. As of today, these programs have proven significantly effective in that one; an analysis conducted by Fonterra in 2013 showed that about 94% of the waste produced at Fonterra is either reused or recycled. Before the analysis, another one in 2011 revealed that about 3,900 tons of landfill waste was being saved from dumping into the environment (Hall & Gifford, 2007). The other measure being implemented is a collaboration of Fonterra Tirau with other bodies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Environment in running a program titled Clean Stream Accord of 2003. It aims at protecting wetlands, establishing designated drinking points for cattle, and protecting waterways and flora. Apart from these, the Co-operative sensitizes its farmers about environmental protection and conservation knowing the proximity they possess to waterways and plant life. One of the sensitization programs is guiding them in the use of fertilizer so that they do not affect soil and waterways quality (“Fonterra and the Environment, 2007). On matters of gas emissions, Fonterra is considered one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gas in New Zealand. Of the total greenhouse gas emitted in New Zealand, agricultural activities (Fonterra included) contribute an average 48.5%. This in turn forced Fonterra to look into means of minimizing its contribution of greenhouse gas as revealed by “Energy” (2014). Waste Minimization and Treatment Of all the waste minimization measures implemented at Fonterra Tirau, wastewater treatment is the most popular. This is done by subjecting wastewater resulting from casein to treating and reusing. According to Tirau (2014), the wastewater treatment site at Tirau is amongst the biggest ones known today. It works such that the water goes into the treatment plant as wastewater, but on emerging from the other end, is water that can be safely disposed into the environment or reused in industrial processes. In “neutralizing” the wastewater, it is put through a three-step treatment process. The first step (Aerobic) is whereby the water is pumped into a catchment and an aerator is used to convert the protein and ammonia in the water into nitrate. After this, it is pumped into the second step (Anoxic) which is a catchment pond covered with a black sheet which keeps oxygen out of the water and in it converting the nitrate acquired in step 1 into methane gas. This is done by letting the bacteria feed on the nitrate. This methane is not late to escape, but is used in the Tirau site’s boilers. The final step (Aerobic) is meant to minimize nitrogen levels in the water to the least, or in accordance with the set ISO levels. It is then released back to the environment or used in cooling, or watering flora in the site’s fields (“Fresh Water Solutions”, 2009). Another waste minimization means to implement at Tirau is the introduction of an improvised triple layer light proof bottle. This measure is effective both at, and off the Tirau site. In short, it minimizes the risk of milk going bad while at consumers’ homes by ensuring it stays fresh for long. This therefore reduces the volume of milk that goes to waste; thus saves both the product and consumers’ money. In addition, the bottle is easy to recycle. The idea of using this bottle is to minimize the need to dispose it off after use, thus saving the total volume of resulting landfill (“The 100%”, 2013). Whey has the potential to largely affect the environment if carelessly disposed. This is so because it contains ions of sulfate and traces of lactic acid. As such, Fonterra Tirau converts its whey into ethanol. Ethanol, as earlier stated, is used in production of some beverages, chemical solvents, deodorants, or perfumes. Apart from the lactic acid and sulfate ions, the distillate from the distillation and fermentation contains dissolved potassium, Phosphorus, and nitrogen. These can be harmful if not carefully disposed off. To prevent this, as (Jiménez & Asano, 2008) states, these are used on farms as fertilizer, replacing the use of mineral fertilizers. Energy Efficiency Initiatives One of the key energy-efficient initiatives that Fonterra Tirau has put into place is seeking to minimize energy use while finding alternatives at the same time. In securing these, it seeks to use forms of energy that are more efficient and “clean”. In the light of this, Tirau alternates between thermal and electrical energy. The thermal energy is generated from vast sources such as biofuel, gas, and light fuel oil. So far, the Tirau site caters for about 22% of its overall energy requirements (Energy, 2014). One of the energy efficiency initiatives taken up by the Fonterra Tirau is cogeneration. This is the process of combining several sources of energy to provide the energy required at the plant. Electricity is alternated or combined with gas, coal or oil to execute that, which is rather efficient than just relying on purely electricity. More interesting is that this site uses forest biomass residue and the resulting effluent for the anaerobic wastewater treatment system to provide heat in the boilers. The other strategy is minimizing milk collection tankers’ energy consumption as they travel roughly eighty million kilometers annually around New Zealand in search of milk (“Fonterra Sustainability”, 2014). To check on energy efficiency that is in both cost and eco-friendliness, they; one, pre-concentrate, milk before transporting it so that more milk is packed and transported with less chances of going bad. Two, they promote transport by rail so that more loads can be carried for long distances, but cheaply and saving on tanker fuel. Third is upgrading the tankers to meet the standards of the Euro 4 emission policies, and finally optimizing tanker routes through the installation of scheduling software in them. Another efficiency initiative in place is the auditing of energy consumption in the entire manufacturing process in which the findings are analyzed and adjustments made to achieve the lowest possible energy consumption. This information is shared amongst farmers and the stakeholders in general as a tool of saving both energy and money. The final and most effective strategy is recovering lost energy and putting it to use through biogas production. The anaerobic wastewater treatment plants give off biogas as a byproduct. The gas is tapped and stored where it is later used in heating boilers in the manufacturing processes. This is quite thoughtful in that it uses “its own” byproducts to produce energy, which would otherwise be lost to the environment (“Fonterra Sustainability, 2014). Conclusion The strategy of environmental management is what developed the above study text in which the industrial practices of the Tirau site; a site under the larger Fonterra Co-operative provides the case study. The revelation is that the manufacturing process requires a lot of energy to come up with the final products, which is inevitable. Again, the activities running in the factory may affect the natural environment negatively when they improperly dispose of their waste or misuse energy sources. These identified, they call for mitigation measures to minimize the amount of toxicity offered to the environment in addition to efficiently consuming energy. From the case study, it is sufficient to justify that the Fonterra Tirau site is committed in achieving efficiency with regards to environmental sustainability. 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Fonterra fined for acid in waterway. Retrieved from The New Zealnd Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10676480 Lundie, S.,, schulz, M., Peters, G. & Nebel, B. (2009). “Carbon Footprint Measurement: Methodology.” Centre for Water and Waste Technology University of NSW. Fonterra. Resource Consents Application. (2011). FONTERRA TIRAU. “The 100% Light Proof Bottle”. (2013). Fonterra. Accessed on April 3, 2014 from http://www.fonterra.com/global/en/Hub+Sites/News+and+Media/Media+Releases/The+100+LIGHT+PROOF+Bottle. Tirau, F. (2014). Tirau. Retrieved from Fonterra: http://www.fonterra.com//wps/wcm/connect/1cc159cf-d0f0-4d8f-a77b-83bdc63b5384/Fonterra+Tirau+-+ Read More