The circular economy is a
new approach to the reduce-reuse-recycle model.
The circular economy has
the added advantage of not only making products or by-products go back to
production cycles it ensures sustainability of business and environment.
What is the circular economy and how can this
be implemented in the dairy value chain?.
Circular economy is a model of production
/consumption that involves the use, reuse and recycling of products, byproducts
and materials of production to create a sustainable cycle of production and
consumption.
Dairy industry is based on
circular production cycles with the dairy and Agri-food sector sharing a
history that dates back to early dairy business.
The use of pasture land
for feeding dairy cows, by growing different crops on rotated pieces of land,
by fertilizing the land with animal’s waste and at the same time keeping
animals as a long-term stock of nutrients, the sector builds on the long and deep
knowledge of humankind.
Dairy cows have a unique
ability to consume non-edible feed stocks and turn them into a very nutritious
protein that humans can eat.
The concept of the circular economy is to look
at the cycle of production and identify points or areas in the cycle that can
be redirected into the production phase to achieve the following:
1)
Reduce waste and
the resultant pressure on the environment by creating clean alternatives.
2) Reduce cost of production by reusing some inputs or
by-products thus increasing profit margin.
3) Create new channels of production by creating new
viable products from existing products.
In the dairy industry the
circular economy is employed in the following ways:
1)
The waste from
cows provides a source of fertilizer that can be put back into the farm, it is
also fed into bio digester thus helping to curb methane emissions and produce a
renewable energy source for the farm.
2)
Cows utilize the
grazing lands as well providing a source
of milk and natural fertilizer, and at the end of life the cow can be converted
into a variety of products, such as beef, pet food, and leather goods
3)
Whey, a co-product
of the cheese-making process was once put onto land, or fed to pigs, but is now
being used as high-value protein concentrates for specific human nutrition
(sports, infants, and the elderly) in a growing market, and in special cases,
for young animal feed.
4)
Nutrient
recycling from waste water treatment plants sludge from dairy processing:
digestate (sludge output from a digester) e.g. from digesting manure or food
waste is of outmost importance for a circular economy to function properly
(whilst guaranteeing and safeguarding food safety and animal health).
5)
Waste to
electricity: using the biogas from the digester to produce electricity. The
heat will be redirected to the stalls to keep the facility warm, thus also
increasing productivity at reduced cost.
6)
Cow mats produced
from hide also boosts productivity by increasing the comfort of the animals
thus stimulating more milk production.
