CP in food industry

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Cleaner Production is a kind of a proactive philosophy and bases on the principle that prevention is better than cure. Therefore different options for CP like housekeeping, changing product, modifying process, substituting raw materials etc are developed.


But why invest in CP?

  • Improvements to products and processes
  • Savings of raw materials and energy and according to this saving of costs
  • Increased competitiveness through the use of new and improved technologies
  • Reduced concerns over environmental legislation
  • Reduced liability associated with the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes
  • Improved health, safety and morale of employees
  • Improved image of the company


In many food processing industries the key environmental issues are the high consumption of water, generation of effluents and by-products and the consumption of energy.


Water consumption:

Water is used for washing and watering products and by-products and for cleaning and sterilising equipment and process areas. Although it becomes scarcer global water consumption increases. Therefore its efficient use is absolutely necessary. The rates of consumed water itself depends on the scale and age of the plant, on the process type etc.

Effluents:

A strategy for generating less waste water is to capture undesirable materials before entering drains and to use dry cleaning methods.

Energy consumption:

Saving energy not requests automatically a capital investment. Sometimes just more efficient housekeeping is enough. Additional savings can made through more energy efficient equipment and heat recovery systems, use of benign sources like natural gas and renewable sources and co- generation of heat and electricity.


Cleaner production is further discussed in detail in the following four industry sectors:


  • Breweries


Case studies



Reference: Cleaner Production Assessment in Meat Processing, report prepared by COWI Consulting engineers and planning agents AS, demark for UNEP and Danish Enviromental Protection Agency, 2000


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