Food and Beverage

Pollution Prevention & Energy Efficiency Assessment

Challenge

Chudleigh’s is a privately owned Canadian company established in 1957 that operates a 100 acre farm in Milton, Ontario, with plans for a new 80,000 tree orchard in Otterville , as well as a commercial bakery (also located in Milton). The apples used in Chudleigh’s bakery are hand-picked Ontario apples provided by a network of 30 growers, and the first harvest from the Otterville orchard is scheduled for 2012.

In August of 2007, the bakery moved from an inefficient building to their current location housing state-of-the-art equipment operated by 200 full time staff, and a 28,000 ft2 addition to the facility is currently underway to accommodate increased production demands. Recognizing the strong link between Chudleigh’s main resource (apples) and environmental stewardship, Chudleigh’s desired to look for additional ways to operate their bakery operations in the most environmentally-friendly manner.

Although their new production facility and processing equipment were much more efficient than at their previous location, Chudleigh’s wanted to take the next step in their sustainability journey by identifying opportunities to operate their new facility as efficiently as possible by generating less waste, minimizing water and energy consumption, and conserving resources. Additionally, the new facility was subject to stringent sewer use bylaw parameters, which Chudleigh’s desired to comply with.

Due to the significant volume of fruit processed at the facility, the majority of Chudleigh’s sanitary sewer effluent had a high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration (fruit has a very high BOD concentration) that exceeded the sewer use bylaw parameters.

Strategy

Through the BLOOM On-site Technical Assistance Program for Manufacturers (formerly known as the Toronto Region Sustainability Program), in 2010 Chudleigh’s hired Enviro-Stewards Inc. to conduct a pollution prevention (P2) and energy efficiency (E2) assessment of the facility.

The goal of the assessment was to identify opportunities for reducing water and energy consumption, minimizing waste, conserving resources, and reducing its sanitary sewer effluent loading to the sanitary sewer. BLOOM subsequently featured Chudleigh’s in a public case study detailing the assessment results (a PDF of the case study can be downloaded via the link following this case study).

The P2/E2 assessment was also an excellent opportunity to engage Chudleigh’s staff with the concepts of sustainability. For example, while working with Enviro-Stewards Chudleigh’s staff located and immediately repaired the faulty microwave cooling water valve. Similarly, a sketch of the system to reuse the water from ammonia cooling as microwave cooling water was drawn by a Chudleigh’s employee. This type of engagement with floor staff is an excellent method for gaining buy-in for opportunities and greatly increases the probability of implementation (since staff had a stake in the decision-making process).

Result

TARGET • Juice from apple peeling process entering floor drains (contributing to high BOD in effluent).

OPPORTUNITY • Install bins to capture juice to divert it from the sewer. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 9 tonnes/year reduction in BOD loading.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $15,000/year savings, payback of < 1 month.

 

TARGET • Alternative disposal for waste peels from apple peeling process removed by waste hauler.

OPPORTUNITY • Send peels directly to compost or to animal feed.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 650 tonnes/year reduction in process waste.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $23,000/year savings, immediate payback.

 

TARGET • Microwave cooling water.

OPPORTUNITY • Fix malfunctioning cooling water valve so cooling water shuts off when the microwave is not in use.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 11,000 m3/year of water saved.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $21,000/year savings, immediate payback.

 

TARGET • Ammonia cooling water reuse.

OPPORTUNITY • Reuse water from ammonia cooling as microwave cooling water.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 1,100 m3/year of water saved.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $3,000/year savings, payback TBD.

 

TARGET • Sugar glaze spray nozzles.

OPPORTUNITY • Re-align spray nozzles to minimize over-spray.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 86 tonnes/year reduction in process waste.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $83,000/year savings, immediate payback.

 

TARGET • Sanitation water & make-up air.

OPPORTUNITY • Recover heat from ammonia chiller to pre-heat sanitation water and make-up air.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 44,000 m3/year of natural gas saved. • 73 tonnes/year reduction of GHG emissions.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $15,000/year savings, payback of 2 years.

 

TARGET • Freezer & cooler lights.

OPPORTUNITY • Install automatic door switch to turn on/off lights.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 19,000 kWh/year of electricity saved.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $2,000/year savings, payback of < 1 year.

 

TARGET • Lights in freezers.

OPPORTUNITY • Install high-efficiency lights.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT • 115,000 kWh/year of electricity saved.

ECONOMIC BENEFIT • $10,000/year savings, payback of 2 years.

 

Chudleigh’s has already begun implementing some of the above opportunities, such as diversion of peeler juice from floor drains, re-alignment of the sugar spray nozzles, and repairing the malfunctioning microwave cooling valve.

During 2010/2011, Chudleigh’s expanded its facility by 28,000 ft2. Once the expanded production facility is fully commissioned, Chudleigh’s plans to assess the remaining recommendations and develop an implementation schedule over a five year time-frame.

To promote continuous improvement, Chudleigh’s plans to develop signage and other materials to familiarize their entire staff with the concepts of sustainable manufacturing and to highlight significant environmental, economic, and social achievements of staff and of the organization as a whole. Focus Groups and Idea Boards have already been established where employees can participate in a focus group or post a process improvement or product idea to the Idea Board. Generous prizes are awarded to employees whose ideas are used.

Chudleigh’s continues to work with Enviro-Stewards and their own staff to implement the opportunities described in the P2/E2 assessment and to identify additional opportunities to improve the environmental, economic, and social performance of the company.

In December 2011 Chudleigh’s purchased a Sustainability Certificate from Enviro-Stewards for five BioSand water filters, which will provide 100,000 litres per year of clean drinking water to communities in South Sudan and avoid 15 tonnes per year of GHG emissions associated with boiling a portion of this water to make it safe to drink.

Website Links

www.trsp.ca/TRSP_cs_Chudleighs.pdf

www.bloomcentre.com

www.trsp.ca

www.enviro-stewards.com