Unveiling water and energy saving solutions designed to elevate efficiency and sustainability at customer factory operations.
On World Environment Day, Tetra Pak, a leading provider of food processing and packaging solutions, urged the industry to adopt innovative solutions to conserve and minimise water usage in response to the escalating global water crisis.
According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2024, climate change is projected to intensify the global water cycle, and to further increase the frequency and severity of droughts and floods. This year’s World Environment Day highlighted land restoration, desertification and drought resilience which have an effect on the water crisis and food sustainability.
Speaking at a Water and Energy Savings Symposium hosted by Tetra Pak for customers, Prof Odume, the Director of the Institute for Water Research at Rhodes University, underscored the importance of all sectors of the economy to take steps to sustainably manage water within their production systems and value-chains “As water demands are projected to triple by 2050 and potentially outstrip supply in many parts of Southern Africa, the importance of water-use efficiency particularly by all kinds of industry cannot be overemphasised. Industries must lead the way in terms of how to be water-sensitive, water-smart and water saving technologies. This must also include regular monitoring of both water quantity and quality, and measures to implement the concept of circular economy within the production systems. These are particularly urgent for the food and beverage industry, which are water-intensive sectors.
Richard Small, Services Director Tetra Pak Southern Africa said, “today, we are here to explore innovative strategies and share best practices that can help our customers reduce water consumption, optimize energy use, and minimize waste.” He added, “we can help our customers adopt our latest technologies that will enable them to reduce resource usage.”
He added, “one of the key areas that were addressed at the workshop include how food manufacturers can significantly reduce resource usage in areas such as cleaning and sanitisation which rely heavily on water, constituting in some cases approximately 95 to 99 percent of total water usage.”
Tetra Pak’s approach to environmental protection and sustainability encompasses the entire value chain, from suppliers to customers, recognising that significant impacts happen due to processing and packaging equipment. The company has introduced proactive strategies focusing on minimising unnecessary consumption and wasteful practices, alleviating pressure on vital resources, and enhancing business resilience. Through continuous improvement initiatives, Tetra Pak empowers businesses to optimise operations, reclaim valuable resources, and reduce their ecological footprint.
