Lesson 2 - Environmental Sustainability
In this lesson we will discuss key ways to understand and improve the sustainability of brewery operations. This will include understanding the global context for sustainability, the key environmental sustainability impacts of producing beer and opportunities for improving the sustainability of beer and brewing operations.
Co-products
In this final section, we focus on co-products. Throughout the journey of making beer, various other useful secondary products are also made. Where a secondary product is made from a production process, these are referred to as co-products.
These secondary products are not referred to as wastes for two main reasons:
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Firstly, as we learnt through looking at the circular economy, it is important to capture and realise value from all the products of our processes. If we view these valuable materials as products, we are more likely to achieve this ambition.
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Secondly, the co-products for onward sale in many countries will be subject to different legislation than wastes that need to be disposed of.
Co-products typically have minimal treatment on a brewery site, other than treatment to make them practically transportable before they are sold on to another party. Co-products may be treated as a waste if they are not sold on into the food chain.
With your current knowledge, take a few minutes to list some of the co-products created alongside making beer and the uses for these products. Do you think these uses are capturing the best value of these co-products?
Give yourself 5-10 minutes to think about this, and then click ’Next’ to continue with this lesson.