Adopting new approaches to cleaning its poultry processing plants has helped Brazil meat and poultry company BRF significantly cut the amount of water it uses.
In the run up to World Water Day, BRF has announced that it consumed 10 percent less water in its facilities last year – a savings of almost 6 million cubic meters.
BRF notes that it has been collecting rainwater, implementing a culture of responsible water use and making its industrial processes more efficient. The amount of rainwater the company captured increased by 40 percent in 2014, surpassing 92,000 cubic meters.
Consumption of surface water was 6 percent lower last year, while use of underground water fell by 15 percent. The volume of water used coming from public supplies was reduced by about 27 percent.
BRF made an investment of BRL210 million (US$63.4 million) to reduce its environmental impact in 2014. Since 2013, the Brazilian company has been applying lean practices to a number of its poultry processing plants and other plants, and this will be further rolled out in 2015.
