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Water use efficiency of Irish dairy processing.
1UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Journal of Dairy Science
|July 29, 2019
Summary
Improving water use efficiency is critical for Irish dairy processors. This study identified key areas for reducing water consumption and environmental impact in butter and milk powder production.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Industrial Ecology
- Sustainable Manufacturing
Background:
- Dairy processing is water-intensive, incurring significant costs for water withdrawal, distribution, and wastewater treatment.
- Stringent environmental regulations and peak production demands necessitate improved water use efficiency in the Irish dairy sector.
- Understanding water use and its environmental impacts is crucial for sustainable dairy production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a detailed analysis of water use efficiency in four Irish dairy processing plants.
- To assess on-site water data quality and investigate gate-to-gate volumetric water use and eutrophication potential (EP) for butter and milk powders.
- To identify key influencers of on-site water use and opportunities for increased water use efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Farm gate to processor gate (gate-to-gate) life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed.
- On-site water use, water balance, and wastewater nutrient loads were benchmarked.
- Influencers of on-site water use were analyzed, and gate-to-gate volumetric water use and EP were quantified for specific dairy products.
Main Results:
- Condensate from evaporation was a significant water input (0.51–1.14 L/L fresh water).
- Gate-to-gate water use: butter (1,326–1,843 m³/t solids), milk powders (3,006–3,754 m³/t solids), with electricity and ingredients as major contributors.
- Eutrophication potential (EP): butter (0.51–0.77 kg PO₄ eq/t solids), milk powders (0.96–3.35 kg PO₄ eq/t solids), influenced by transportation and wastewater treatment.
Conclusions:
- Milk intake water use and leakages are critical on-site hotspots for water reduction.
- Opportunities exist in optimizing operator behavior, water reuse, off-site transportation, and energy consumption.
- Comprehensive metering is essential for improving water use efficiency amidst dairy production expansion; off-site factors significantly impact overall water use and environmental footprint.
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