Reducing the carbon footprint of milk production
February 2022
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
The certified Valio Carbo environmental calculator is used in monitoring the carbon balance of Valio dairy farms. In 2021, more than a thousand of them (about a quarter of all the company’s dairy farms) calculated the carbon footprint of the milk they produce, which amounted to 1,06 kilograms CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per litre. What makes these calculations significant is the fact that they cover 35% of the milk received by Valio, accounting for about 28% of Finland’s total milk production. The global average carbon footprint of milk is approximately 2,5 CO2e per litre.
The goal of Valio’s climate programme is to reduce the carbon footprint of milk’s value chain to zero by 2035. The biggest emission reductions can be achieved at dairy farms because about 85-95% of the total climate impact of milk is generated in primary production. Additionally, Valio’s goal is to significantly reduce emissions in its own production, i.e., in its factories, transport and packaging.
Valio development manager, Aleksi Astaptsev, has been developing the company’s carbon footprint calculation for four years and has trained 1800 Valio dairy farmers in the use of the environmental calculator. “A carbon footprint calculation can be done in many different ways and the result depends on the method of calculation. Likewise, the production conditions at farms also impact the carbon footprint of milk. The carbon footprint of the milk transported to Valio’s dairies typically varies between 0,7 and 1,4 CO2e per litre. We make the calculation at the most accurate level possible and with the actual figures of each farm, rather than using figures based on estimates,” Astaptsev explains.
Positive feedback
Valio Carbo gives dairy farmers an overall picture of the environmental impact of their own farms – what has a big impact and what doesn’t. The result encompasses all of a dairy farm’s activities: the number of arable hectares, the amount of grass farming, the number of cattle, the lifespan and productivity of the cows, the amount of energy and fuel used at the farm and the forage fed to the cattle. The calculator is easy to use and many dairy farmers are pleased when they see that the result is well below expectations.
“The target for 2021 was to have 500 dairy farms use the calculator. We are pleased that the interest in carbon footprint calculations has been so big that we doubled the target last year. Based on our target, all 4000 Valio farms will have calculated their milk carbon footprint in 2024,” Astaptsev adds.
Further reading:
Analysers achieve OIML R140/MID accuracy class A certification
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Qmicro by Sensirion has received the OIML R140/MID accuracy class A certificate No. TC12537 for its DynamiQ-X GC analysers for the analysis of natural gas and natural gas blended with hydrogen.
Read more...
Sustainable water management
Wearcheck
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Water sustainability is critical for the future wellbeing of people, land and marine ecosystems, and socio-economic development. WearCheck Water provides a range of water analysis techniques to determine water quality for various sectors, including mining, agriculture, domestic and the healthcare industry.”
Read more...
Biofilm monitoring system
Instek Control
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Alvim, through Instek Controls, provides innovative, high-tech solutions for biofilm and biofouling monitoring in industrial plants.
Read more...
WearCheck Water earns AdBlue/DEF analysis accreditation
Wearcheck
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
WearCheck Water recently became the first laboratory in Africa to be officially ISO17025 accredited to test AdBlue diesel exhaust fluid by the South African National Accreditation System.
Read more...
Streamlining strain gauge load cell integration
Vepac Electronics
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Vepac’s data acquisition hardware provides an efficient and effective all-in-one solution for customers looking to simplify, enhance and optimise their strain gauge load cell systems.
Read more...
Oxygen measurement in beverages
Anton Paar
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
[Sponsored] Anton Paar offers a complete range of oxygen measurement instruments for total package oxygen (TPO) measurements, at-line quality control (QC), and in-process monitoring. These instruments help beverage manufacturers achieve accurate, reliable oxygen control at every stage of production.
Read more...
Sensors and controls for food, beverage and pharmaceutical
Instek Control
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Included in Instek Control’s range is Anderson-Negele, which has adopted ‘Hygienic By Design’ as its guiding principle, with a particular focus on meeting the stringent regulatory requirements found in industries such as dairy, brewery or pharmaceutical.
Read more...
Vertical labelling of test tubes in clinical laboratories
Omron Electronics
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Werfen has implemented a new automated machine for the supply of reagents to drug toxicology laboratories, built by MACCO in collaboration with OMRON and Marini Pandolfi. It uses OMRON SCARA robots and advanced vision systems to ensure reagent quality through vertical handling and labelling process of test tubes.
Read more...
Keeping a close eye on product quality and purity
Endress+Hauser South Africa
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Colour measurements are necessary in many processes to avoid product losses and ensure safe production and batching.
Read more...
The importance of environmental monitoring and visibility at data centres
Legrand
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Data centres are one of the most energy-intensive building types, consuming up to 50 times the energy per floor space compared to a typical commercial office building. With organisations embracing advanced technologies, data centres powering these technologies are under increasing pressure around the globe to increase capacities and improve efficiencies.
Read more...
printer friendly version