Modernising Dairy Processing Could Cut Emissions by Nearly Half
According to Tetra Pak, a leading food-processing and packaging company, modernising dairy processing lines can lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, with potential cuts of up to 49%. The company's Dairy Processing Impact Assessment study, reviewed by the Carbon Trust, indicates that such modernisations can also decrease water usage by 45% and product losses by 57% on average.
Tetra Pak highlighted that the global dairy industry contributes approximately 2.7% of total greenhouse gas emissions as of 2023. The implementation of modernised processing technologies worldwide could potentially reduce emissions by up to 12.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, a decrease comparable to the emissions from around three million cars.
In terms of water conservation, upgrades could result in annual savings of up to 455 million cubic meters across global dairy production. Technologies such as advanced filtration and cleaning-in-place (CIP) systems are part of these water-saving initiatives.
Rodrigo Godoi, vice-president of processing portfolio management at Tetra Pak, stated that, "For many dairy producers, improving efficiency while managing costs is a daily challenge." He emphasized that their study demonstrates how practical improvements to existing lines can help reduce energy usage and product loss while strengthening performance without major disruptions.
Among the proposed solutions, Tetra Pak recommends using market-ready electrically powered heat pumps to cut down on fossil fuel use and associated emissions. Moreover, technologies like OneStep processing for UHT milk and yoghurt are suggested to simplify and enhance production efficiency.
Veronika Thieme, associate director at the Carbon Trust, noted the significant decarbonisation opportunities present within food systems. She remarked, "Assessing avoided emissions is a powerful way to understand the carbon savings these solutions can deliver," highlighting the importance of quantifying emissions reductions to support scaling these solutions across the industry.
