Our Sustainability Journey
Here at Pattemores Dairy Ingredients Ltd we are actively doing what we can to reduce our carbon footprint & waste…
Our sustainability journey started in 2010, when we recognised the opportunity to further develop Pattemores Dairy Ingredients. At each stage of development, we have identified areas where we can minimise the energy we use and waste that is created.
Our Sustainability Journey so far.....
2010: Pattemores started to investigate transforming what we did with liquid waste
2014: The waste plant was commissioned.
2014: Solar panels commerical investigation was commissioned
2017: Pattemores MVR evaporator was installed.
2018: Pattemores installed a new process line to modernise the dairy equipment and increase production capabilities
2019: Pattemores added a screw press to enable waste solids to go for electric generation in a local AD plant
2021: The solar installation starts
2022: Pattemores solar park is switched on. Not wanting to lose the land to farming, we have worked closely with a local farmer who has taken on the land to farm his sheep
- Pattemores commission the waste treatment plant 2014.
- This removed 2000 lorries from local roads per year, 16000 movements to date and saving 52 tons of carbon from reduction in transport movements
- Pattemores added a screw press in 2019 to compact solids within the process into a cake which enabled this waste stream to be sent for anaerobic digestion, to date
To date: Pattemores has saved:
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1.98 million kg CO2 being emitted from fossil fuels
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100000 kg of carbon being emitted from fossil fuels
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Wastewater cake recycled for reuse = 2.67 million Kg
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The recycled cake has created = 2 million KWh of electric
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Once the digestion cycle is complete the remainder is used as farm fertiliser completing the carbon cycle
Pattemores Waste Treatment Facility
For the last 3 years, Pattemores have been net zero to landfill. This is due to using a waste provider that utilises the energy from waste concept:
Energy From Waste Concept
1. Collection: Waste Collection vehicles enter the reception hall of our energy-from-waste facility and discharge their waste into the bunker. A grab crane operator mises the waste to ensure an even burn in the furnace. Water sprays and induction fans in the reception hall reduce the level of dust and odours.
2. Incineration: The crane loads the mixed waste into a feed hopper, and it travels down a chute into the furnace. Inside the furnace, a series of grate bars move the waste through the furnace where it dries and burns at temperatures of around 1000 degrees Celsius. Burning the waste creates a hot flue gas - which is used as a source of renewable energy - and incinerator bottom ash, which can be used in construction.
3. Energy generation: The hot flue gases travel through a boiler, heating water that runs through boiler pipes. This turns into steam that drives a turbine generating electricity.
4. Emissions: The gases from the burned waste are cleaned thoroughly. Lime is used to neutralise acidic gases and carbon to remove dioxins and heavy metals. The gas then passes through a fine fabric filter to capture any remaining particles before it is released through a chimney.
5. Other by-products: The incinerator bottom ash from burnt waste drops into a quench tank and then passes along a conveyor to a storage pit. Magnets above the conveyor extract ferrous metals from the ash for recycling. The ash then goes to an ash recycling plant. so it can be used as an aggregate replacement in construction materials.
Pattemores Solar Park
Pattemore Solar Park was completed in 2022 with over 3000 panels to make the 2 mega watt installation
The solar park has been running less than a year but statistics already show an estimated saving of 2.1 million kg of CO2, 578000 kg of carbon saving year on year
Not wanting to lose the land to farming, we have worked closely with a local farmer who has taken on the land to farm his sheep
Pattemores Sustainability Road Map
Pattemores are committed to sustainability throughout the business, linking and working with their farmers and supply chain through to our manufacturing facility and customers
Our 3 year Road Map sets out our aims to work towards a sustainable future.
2022: Install more efficient boilers for heating
2022: Review options for solar energy capture using battery storage
2023: Upgrade waste plant to maintain efficiency's and cope with any new volumes.
2023: Continue Dairy Pasteuriser upgrade and automation program
2023: Look into increasing water recycling around the site
2024: Build a new workshop building and lorry park installation
2025/2026: New Dairy Expansion Plans