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Renere Teknologi på svine- og kreaturslagterier Projektartikel, engelskDanish slaughterhouses have reduced the use of resources significantly and obtained large financial savings by implementing cleaner technology. The consumption of water and energy has decreased by 60% and 20% respectively at the Danish pig slaughterhouses since 1989 and the water pollution (BOD) has decreased by 40% during the same period. Background The Danish EPA and the Danish Energy Agency have supported a number of cleaner technology and energy saving projects in the meat industry during the last decade, mainly within pig and cattle slaughtering. Reports have either been published by the EPA or been distributed as reports from the Danish Meat Research Institute. The projects have covered general aspects as well as specific areas. Objectives The EPA has requested the production of a condensed overall account of the results obtained through these projects in order to facilitate the spreading of knowledge to a broad audience. Such an account should cover present knowledge of the use of resources in and the pollution from slaughtering of pigs and cattle. Furhtermore, cleaner technology options should be described. The technical staff at slaughterhouses and their consultants are the target groups for this report during the implementation of cleaner technology and/or rebuilding and construction. The local authorities in charge of environmental approval and controlling of the meat plants are also a target group. Content The report describes the meat industry in general, slaughtering procedures and their use of resources and the pollution therefrom. Cleaner tehnology options in general in the meat industry are given as well as a number of specific cleaner technology solutions. Cleaning operations and pollution control methods are described. Standard figures for the use of resources in and pollution from each process/department are given whenever these figures exist. The report also refers to where more detailed information can be obtained. It should be emphasized that the report only covers areas which have been investigated during our research. Results and perspectives Denmark has a high meat production which is the basis for a considerable part of the Danish food industry. Annual slaughterings amount to 20 mio. pigs and 675,000 cattle corresponding to a meat production (based on carcass weight) of about 1.6 mio. tonnes. A high water and energy consumption is characteristic for the slaughtering industry. The production of waste water with organic constituents like protein and fat is also high. Consumptions are partly governed by Danish and EU veterinary regulations with the aim of maintaining a high level of hygiene in the meat production. Nevertheless, it is possible to reduce consumption of resources considerably without impairing quality nor hygiene. This has been proven by 10 years’ efforts with implementation of cleaner technology in Danish slaughterhouses.
The following factors play an important role in the implementation of cleaner technology and the subsequent savings in resources: Hygiene (presence and spread of pathogenic microorganisms), working enviroment (heavy work processes, monotonous, repeated work) and the external environment. Often however consideration of one of these aspects will conflict with others, e.g. demands for increased hygienic standards will lead to increased consumption of 82 C water for sterilisation of knives etc. Similarly the replacement of manual operations by automatic equipment will increase the demand for consumption of water and energy for sterilisation/cleaning of cutting tools in between each operation. It is evident that improved hygiene and automation of heavy work and monotonous, repeated work will prevail in the years to come. We will consequently see that the declining curve for use of resources will stop or even turn round, which will be the price to pay for safeguarding the consumers and improving the working environment in the meat industry. |