Managing farm effluents at the Shuangcheng milk district - China

Water extracted from fresh milk in the production of milk powder is reused to supplement water used in boilers and cooling towers, and for general cleaning purposes. The programme in Shuangcheng, China, reduced total water usage by 23% in 2005 To address environmental impacts caused by the growth of the milk district for Nestlé’s Shuangcheng factory, a sustainability evaluation was made by the University of Bern that highlighted the importance of adequate manure storage to prevent possible contamination of ground water. As common manure storage systems require high investments with no immediately-tangible financial benefits, the incentive for farmers to construct proper storage is low. In support of an initiative of the local authorities, Nestlé identified cheap, adequately-sized biogas digesters as a possible solution. In cooperation with the local government, Nestlé agronomists trained farmers in correct handling and storage of farm manure and helped to install more than 1’500 small biogas plants. These biogas generators not only help to prevent water pollution but also create energy for basic uses such as cooking and heating to the farmers. Even larger units are tested that may provide additional electricity for a number of community and household uses.