McCain plant making every drop count

GOING above internal sustainability targets, McCain Foods Ballarat has made a twenty per cent improvement in water use efficiency over the past year.

With an original water efficiency goal of 2 per cent improvement as part of the company’s Be Good. Do Good. Sustainability push, McCain Foods’ Ballarat plant is on track to reach a vision of a low carbon economy in Australia and New Zealand.

Tackling emissions, waste, renewable electricity and sustainable use of packaging and water, the Wendouree facility has already made progress on its waste minimisation plan, global energy efficiency program and on Australia’s largest behind-the-meter renewable energy system.

Engineering project manager at McCain Foods Scott White said the works involve a combined solar and bio digestant cogeneration.

“It’s great for the environment and good for our back pocket which is good for everybody,” he said. “The flow on effects for jobs and suppliers and farmers is great.”

The site has also implemented a zero-waste methodology which so far has resulted in a 40 per cent reduction in outflow.

McCain Foods Ballarat potato plant manager Rodney McLaren said he hopes the plant continues to achieve even more ambitious targets.

“There were multiple opportunities across the site to minimise water usage, and we wanted to motivate the teams to do all that they could, leading us to set a further three per cent water reduction goal for 2021,” said Mr McLaren.

“There have been numerous energy efficiency studies … we have found a range of energy saving opportunities here with some already applied which is great to see.”