ESG Water Treatment Services
n the food and drink
industry, one of the most
important responsibilities
is to maintain high levels
of sanitation throughout
the production process. For organisations
that bottle beverages, water treatment is a
fundamental part of any effective hygiene
regime and there are stringent health and
safety standards which need to be met.
I
Historically, organisations have used
biocidal products which are based on
chemicals such as chlorine, bromine
or iodine, to disinfect water systems.
However, concerns over their impact on
product quality and the environment
have led to the development of sanitation
methods that don’t rely on halogen-based
chemical disinfectants. These are being
increasingly utilised by the world’s leading
drink producers.
Cleaner technologies
One such treatment method, which
holds a number of benefits for bottlers,
involves the use of ozone as a disinfection
agent. When dissolved in water, ozone
produces an extremely powerful and
environmentally friendly biocide through
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oxidisation, capable of eliminating
bacteria, viruses and microbial cysts.
Unlike other disinfectants, ozone
does not combine with organic
materials to create chemical
by-products or residues during the
sanitation process. In addition, the
substance naturally breaks down
into oxygen once contaminants
have been removed, resulting
in minimal product interference.
Resource efficiency is another key
advantage that comes with the
ozonated water as, instead of being
flushed away, it can be reclaimed
and used countless times.
Despite this, the substance is over 50 times
more reactive than chlorine, the more
traditional alternative, making it a highly
efficient disinfection agent.
Leading the way
One major company, currently making the
most of this advanced, non-conventional
water treatment technology, is Coca-Cola
HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland.
As one of the largest bottlers in Ireland, the
business produces a range of beverages
for the island of Ireland from its production
plant in Lisburn, County Antrim.
With a heavy focus on sustainability,
Coca-Cola HBC was recently named global
beverage industry in sustainability for
the 3rd consecutive year according to
Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
The local business contributes to these
results, with ambitious local targets across
water, carbon and waste to help the Group
achieve these global accreditations.
Coca-Cola HBC places a high importance
on water stewardship in its operations,
making use of local fresh water for its
production and cleaning processes.
Regular risk assessments are conducted
at the plant, and the business aims to
ensure that all water is returned to the
natural environment in a condition that
supports aquatic life. In addition to its
environmentally friendly focus, CocaCola HBC commits itself to high internal
efficiency standards, incorporating water
saving technologies into its production
lines and setting its teams stringent targets
to meet.