Water is often an undervalued resource. Organisations and their employees have little or no idea how much water they use, or the amount of money that could be saved by using water more efficiently. Potential cost savings in food processing can be a powerful motivation to enlist management support for water-conservation programmes.

Sites that have not previously tried to save water can reduce their water and effluent bills by up to 30 % by combining low- or no-cost opportunities with longer-term water-saving projects.

Water-saving design:

A strapping 'green' solution to a vital process

Well-baked plan to save resources

• A series of power- and water-saving measures cut annual costs
• Installing solar panels offsets investment costs
• Annual savings: € 17 000 on grid electricity, € 3 600 on wastewater 

JLP is a Bulgarian bakery located in Burgas. The company participated in a Cleaner Production assessment project, which identified interesting measures that helped save on energy and water costs.

Key results

Local shop tackles 'food print' in its own style 

Sometimes the small things deliver the biggest savings

• Food producer identifies simple yet effective energy savings in its heating and cooling processes
• New stoves and ovens save € 13 200 in annual energy costs, while a new cooling system saves € 12 000

Denito is a Bulgarian producer of salads, mayonnaise, sauces and packed vegetable located in Burgas.

The company underwent a Cleaner Production assessment process, which identified interesting energy-saving measures.

Sludge treatment techniques generally reduce volume or change its nature before disposal or reuse. By reducing the volume or weight of sludge for disposal you can cut respective transport costs and landfill charges, where relevant. 

Treatment techniques and terms include:

1. Sludge conditioning

This is a process to treat sludge solids with chemicals or heat as preparation for 'dewatering'.

2. Sludge stabilisation

Closer inspection showed where savings could be made

Rethinking energy intenstive operations pays off

How cost-efficiency and sustainability can get along in big chains ...

• Major cost-conscious supermarket chain sets sights on sustainability too
• Eco-efficient lighting, heating, ventillation, refrigeration, and more

Lidl supermarkets are known for their simplicity and emphasis on efficiency at every stage of the business, from supplier to customer. This philosophy enables the company to sell high-quality products from a limited range of exclusive own brand and well-known labels at the low prices.

This little piggy went to market ... and more 

• Hotel farmstay introduces circular economy thinking
• Crops, livestock, energy production, waste recycling ... everything is factored into this closed-loop business  

Na Farmě, a hotel and farmstay in the Central Bohemian region, is one of few in the Czech Republic that can call themselves totally energy self-sufficient. It serves as a great example of a business operation that works on a closed cycle encompassing all energy, animal products and waste.