< Previouswww.fdiforum.net 30 T here are several ways in which food and beverage companies can achieve greater environmental management of their operations and, by extension, their supply chains. In this article, Food and Drink International explores some of the most important areas where companies must focus their environmental management efforts in order to achieve the most significant gains. As well as the inherent environmental benefit to running a leaner, more sustainable operation, it will also likely result in cost savings as the best outcomes for business and the environment become ever closer. Arguably the first priority in conducting any environmental management analysis is to start with the wider supply chain before macroing in on specifics. Though supply chain management should be undertaken by food and beverage Understanding the impact of a company’s supply chain requires in-depth carbon monitoring. Through intuitive software solutions and analysis, companies can get a clear picture of what aspects of their operations and supply chain are producing the most emissions and, from there, troubleshoot the steps needed to reduce them. A greener supply chain 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 28/06/2019 11:22 Page 1www.fdiforum.net ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 31 businesses as standard, it’s been obvious over the last few years with the startling revelations of slavery in the supply chain, that producers and suppliers still have a long way to go. A sector which is currently undergoing a transformation in this regard is cocoa. The biggest players in this field – Nestlé, Mondel ē z International and Cargill – are all currently involved in initiatives to make the cocoa supply chain securer, more transparent and sustainable. This is being accomplished through monitoring and reporting and the deployment of technologies such as GPS, digital payments and smart sensors improving farmer livelihoods, combatting deforestation and boosting traceability and transparency. One of the most carbon intensive areas of any company’s supply chain is transport and distribution and so improvements here must be a critical part of any environmental management. Simple solutions, such as more efficiently designed packaging to allow more to be loaded into a single shipment, can have a big impact. However, reducing these emissions is not simply a case of swapping one fleet out for another as many of the alternatives to fossil-fuel powered transportation are no way near close to taking over. Hybrid and electric vehicles have become more commonplace, with major food and beverage players adopting them into their fleet, but they aren’t without their setbacks. Aside from the initial investment involved, perhaps the biggest downside to these vehicles is charge time and the distance they can travel on a single charge. Although stopping to refuel adds time to a journey, it is a relatively quick process compared with charging an electric vehicle. As the technology currently stands, batteries take time to charge, time where a truck or van is spent doing nothing while food and beverage products sit idle in the back. Similarly, charge infrastructure here in the UK is still severely lacking. While charge points are becoming more familiar sights across our towns, cities and service stations, it’s hardly the rival of petrol stations. And these charge points are hardly geared towards trucks and vans. For all these reasons, powering one’s logistics requirements with electric or hybrid vehicles isn’t entirely feasible, but it is a viable solution for last mile logistics. This refers to the last leg of the journey, where products leave the final warehouse or distributor and are delivered to stockists, suppliers and retailers. Typically taking place in urban areas, electric vehicles are ideally suited to fulfil this crucial final step. © Shutterstock / Ulrivh Mueller 32 Á 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 28/06/2019 11:22 Page 2www.fdiforum.net ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 32 Focussing on a company’s in-house operations now, and one of the biggest changes is the integration of renewable energy into the manufacturing process. More and more companies are signing virtual power purchase agreements, in which a company agrees to purchase power at a negotiated price from a wind or solar project over a predetermined number of years. Elsewhere, companies are installing solar panels at their own sites to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. As with other options outlined in this article, it’s a decision that not only makes sense for the environment but shows business savvy too. Another area where companies can focus their efforts is in the avoidance of food waste in manufacturing. There will always be some wastage involved in the production of food and beverage products, but this can be minimised by designing the manufacturing process in such a way where lost product is incorporated back into the mix or production line. Examples where companies have done just this include pasta production and the depositing of pre-grated cheese onto pizzas. For food that is wasted or falls onto the factory floor, an alternative to landfill is anaerobic digestors which, in turn, produce renewable biogas. Although food and drink makers are required by law to ensure their machinery, equipment and operations are kept clean and hygienic, there’s also the environment to consider. Of course, industrial cleaning products are often themselves harmful to the environment, but water usage is one of the biggest issues here. According to the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), cleaning can account for as much as seventy per cent of a site’s entire water use. This brings additional costs such as labour, downtime, lost materials, cleaning chemicals and the extra energy expended for heating and pumping. Optimisation requires a change in cleaning routine that, over time, will not only help to slash water supply bills, but also reduce the volume of concertation in effluent. There’s a chain of thought that claims a thorough washdown routine requires a great torrent of water, or that a reduction in water compromises hygiene requirements. But this simply isn’t true, with a number of ways of minimising water usage whilst also maintaining hygiene levels and, in some cases, even improving them. Minimising wastewater should be a priority to food and beverage companies, not just in terms of cleaning, but right across the supply chain. In many cases, wastewater is simply outsourced to a processing plant or treatment facility but now the onus is not on how best to dispose of wastewater, but how best to put it to use. But before wastewater can be feedback into the supply chain, it first needs to undergo a vigorous process (or several processes) to purify, filter and denominate it. The most ubiquitous technologies in 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 28/06/2019 11:22 Page 3www.fdiforum.net ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 33 © Shutterstock / Lukas Gojda WHY CHOOSE WASTEMASTER? D Reduces your environmental impact. D Re-purposes your food waste for positive re-use. D Reduces the volume and weight of your food waste by up to 80%. D Reduces ever-increasing costs associated with food waste management. D Provides a safer and cleaner work environment by eliminating both large amounts of rotting waste and frequent waste-collection vehicle movements. D Reduces the quantity of collection bins required on site. Find out more about Wastemaster, contact David Hamer on 07966 113889 or Andy Mall on 07966 113890 Visit www.pakawaste.co.uk for more info WASTEMASTER’S UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY - MIXED-ION REACTIVE APPROACH (M.I.R.A.) achieving this are distillation, absorption, electrolysis, reverse osmosis and filtration – the latter of which is the most commonly used thanks to its cost-effective nature and overall reliability. Yet treating and purifying wastewater with ultraviolet (UV) light boasts longevity, efficiency and affordability. Unlike some of the other solutions available, UV is an environmentally-friendly alternative and results in no disinfection by-products. Moreover, its electrical needs are low, meaning it can run consistently. It has even been proved to deactivate all the microorganisms attributed to spoilage. Environmental management is a critical undertaking for food and beverage businesses but there’s no one single approach, but rather it’s important to adopt a multi-faceted exploration of the supply chain, from end to end, to identify areas where improvements must be made. 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 28/06/2019 11:22 Page 4www.fdiforum.net 34 Melaphone is designed for use in food areas where hygiene and security are essential. Made in the UK T : 00 44 (0)1359 233191 E : info@melaphone.co.uk W: www.melaphone.co.uk Secure, hygienic and simple Manufacturers of depositors & filling machines for the food production industry Tel: 01282 440040 info@riggsautopack.co.uk www.riggsautopack.co.uk Innovative Bottling & Packaging Solutions evolutionbps.co.uk Audio Visual CommunicationsDepositors Bottling and packaging solutionsMaterials Handling Often imitated… …never equalled You can feature your company in our hugely popular Online Directory with a description, contact details and a hyperlink If you would like further information please contact Sam Trott on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk or visit www.fdiforum.net/directory classified From field to fork, Food & Drink International is the voice of the industry. Food n Dairy n Personal Care n Household Chemical Pharmaceutical n Beer n Cider n Wines & Spirits Liquers n Water n Soft Drinks Materials Handling for Food and Pharmaceutical Industries www.packline.co.uk info@packline.co.uk +44 (0)1202 307700 Packline Ltd, Unit 28, Newtown Business Park, Ringwood Rd, Poole, BH12 3LL, UK 34.qxp_Layout 1 28/06/2019 13:58 Page 1evolutionbps.co.uk Food Personal Care Household Chemical Pharmaceutical Beer Cider Wines & Spirits Liqueurs Water Soft Drinks Innovative Bottling & Packaging Solutions 35.qxp_Layout 1 28/06/2019 11:23 Page 17+(+20(2)9,6&286 3803,1*62/87,216 Kecolhaveover25yearsof experienceinhandlingalltypes ofviscousproductsinthefood, pharmaceuticalandcosmetics markets,aswellasgeneral industrialapplications. 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