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The Food Industry is a major consumer of potable water, accounting for 10% of all industrial water use. In the nature of our business, the majority of that water is used in the essential cleaning and hygiene processes associated with producing safe and legal foods that our customers demand.
All but one of our sites uses mains water supplies, although a preliminary investigation has revealed that there is potential to benefit from boreholes on some sites to reduce the dependence on the mains system. Our newly acquired site, Cranswick Norfolk, has the benefit of an extraction licence and uses a borehole derived supply.
Our clean water use embraces cleaning and hygiene, process water and steam generation, the latter particularly in our four cooking plants. The Group has committed to a 20% reduction in process water usage per tonne by 2020 and in so doing was the first company in the Meat Sector to commit to the FHC2020 agreement.
Alternative technologies are actively being investigated to reduce water usage and effluent. One site has installed an electrolysed water cleaning system, which has dramatically reduced water usage, the amount of cleaning chemicals required and improved the quality of effluent discharged. Other sites are using ozone technology and biological methods to similar effect.
Where improvements have been required as a result of site growth, investment in infrastructure is being made. Our abattoir site at Preston has made a joint investment together with Yorkshire Water in a new drainage system from factory to treatment plant. A significant investment in renewing the drainage system at Cranswick Norfolk is underway to safeguard the local environment.
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We are proud to be the first company in the meat selector to enrol to the FHC (Federation House Commitment) to reduce the amount of processing water we use by 20% by 2020. |
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The Food Industry is a significant contributor of industrial and commercial waste – some 10% of the UK total. Our targets are to reduce the amount of waste we generate by reducing inputs, recycling where possible and minimising our waste which goes to landfill.
The last year has seen a significant reduction in landfill, in part due to improved recycling efforts and facilities, but also due to the availability of waste to energy plants. One site has reduced its landfill by over 1000 tonnes per year, around 80% of its waste, through waste to energy, and as other waste to energy facilities become available, other sites will reduce landfill in a similar way. Overall our landfill generation per tonne of production has reduced by 20% since the 2007 base year.
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is another technology which can help reduce both waste and contribute to energy generation. Waste is digested under controlled conditions, generating biogas to use for electricity generation and heat. The resultant waste sludge can be used for fertiliser and be used directly onto the land. One site with a significant level of biodegradable waste will be changing from the landfill route to biodigestion in the next six months, saving around 1000 tonnes of landfill annually, and the waste streams of other sites are being analysed to take advantage of the environmental benefits of this technology.
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With the rising cost of energy, there is both a financial and environmental incentive to the drive for energy efficiency. All our sites have been audited by the Carbon Trust to identify easily achievable efficiencies in the short term, and longer term options for future investment and savings. These include the installation of more efficient lighting (and passive infra red switching where safe and appropriate), improved controls on equipment, improved energy management and reduction of refrigeration as the process allows.
Alternative energy sources are being investigated. Of the eleven food sites, only one has so far proved a viable location for a large scale wind turbine. Others might be able to benefit from smaller units where geographical location and planning issues limit the potential for bigger ones.
Optimisation of power supplied to each site offers significant gains in efficiency. We are currently trialling a new type of transformer which will deliver a significantly lower voltage without compromising the functional efficiency of the supply, resulting in lower power consumption. Other optimisation routes are being evaluated to reduce and smooth the input power, eliminate spikes and harmonise the supply so that energy consumption is reduced. A company wide solution should be available by the end of this financial year - such technology has a relatively rapid return on capital.
Where new equipment is sourced, its environmental credentials are becoming an important factor in the purchase decision. Maintenance policies are being centrally formulated to ensure that potential efficiency gains are optimised. |
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The Sandwich Factory has introduced four Leyland DAF, Euro-4 engined delivery vehicles. Using a specialist SCR catalytic converter the emissions of nitrogen oxides and fuel consumption are reduced giving a positive benefit to the environment. |
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WRAP (Waste & Resource Action Programme) have reviewed packaging usage at 3 of our sites, which has identified potential opportunities to optimise our packaging usage. Suggested steps to take this forward have been outlined and shared across group.
We have a targeted a 20% reduction in the packaging weight per unit of measure by 2011 and are actively working with our customers to identify where products are currently over packaged, where virgin material can be replaced with material from a re-cycled sourced, where we can use materials which are in themselves recyclable, and generally how to make it easier for the consumer to recycle.
Cardboard sleeves are gradually being replaced with printed films to reduce weight and cost – during 2008 the sausage factory have converted more than 75% of their pre-printed sleeves to recycled board resulting in an estimated saving of 195 tonnes of virgin material.
Also in 2008 two of our sites moved from PET to RPET base trays which we estimate to have saved 665 tonnes of virgin material.
Our packaging suppliers continue to be challenged to deliver lighter materials and to incorporate higher percentages of recycled material. Reduction in packaging thicknesses implemented in 2009 should produce annual savings of around 200 tonnes of material.
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We are aiming to reduce packaging use on our sleeved and labelled product by 10% through the introduction of printed film. |
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The Groups Carbon Footprint was first defined and measured for the calendar year 2007 to establish base details for comparative purposes. Since that time the collection and analysis of data has been improved and has allowed the Environmental Project team to focus on areas where significant improvements can be made. A relative figure for tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne of production was established at factory level, and the group position calculated from the amalgamated figures. At the same time, the actual carbon footprint is also monitored.
The use of energy in the form of electricity, gas and liquid nitrogen accounts for approximately 60% of that carbon footprint. Measures being assessed now for power optimisation will feed into improvements in efficiencies in future years. However, we are already showing a 10% reduction in energy consumption per tonne of production over the base year.
The significant contribution (up to 20%) due to losses of refrigerant gases is also being addressed by a programme of equipment replacement, including the phasing out of certain gases with a higher environmental impact, and enhanced detection and maintenance systems.
Landfill is another significant factor, and moves into recycling and waste to energy have reduced the group landfill figures per tonne of production by 20% over the base year.
Together with other measures, the overall impact on the Groups Relative Carbon Footprint is a 10% reduction on 2007. Our target of a 20% reduction by March 2011 remains achievable.
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