Bega Sustainability Actions

Performance Indicators

Bega seeks to improve performance and sustainability of the Bega Group by applying environmental, social and economic consideration in its decision making and balancing these with the needs of shareholders and community. A comprehensive set of sustainability indicators has been developed to review and assess the sustainability of operations across the group. A sustainability report will use these indicators to share our targets and progress with investors, customers, suppliers, shareholders and the community.

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Monitoring Results

Bega collects samples from air, water, wastewater and land monitoring programs, then analyses them to assess environmental performance. This is an important part of our environment management program and drives continuous improvement and innovation in our sustainability projects.

Evidence Evidence

Air Emissions

Air emissions originate from powder drying, steam generation, electricity consumption and vehicle use. Air emissions include exhaust gases from powder driers and boilers as well as odour. Emissions are monitored and reported as required by the Environment Protection Authority licences. In the Bega facility steam is generated from a boiler using wood waste fuel. Wood waste provides a lower environmental and carbon footprint for cheese production than petroleum gas which is burnt in the back up boiler.

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Noise

Bega is committed to preventing noise impact on neighbours close to our manufacturing sites. Bega regularly monitors its noise emissions at various locations around its production areas and at our closest neighbours to ensure that noise levels do not exceed environmental regulations. Noise emissions are reported to the Environment Protection Authority. In areas where an immediate engineering solution is not possible a noise management plan is developed.

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Odour

Bega reuses factory water for pasture irrigation at the Bega and Strathmerton sites. Factory reuse water contains nutrients that replace fertilisers used for pasture growth. The constituents of the waste water break down when stored for long periods and may cause unpleasant odours. The environment team is committed to ensuring that solutions are in place to prevent the risk of odour impacting the community. The Bega community is consulted and advised of odour management activities through community newsletters and surveys. The Environment Protection Authority is closely involved in the odour management strategy developed for the Bega wet weather storage dam.

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Energy & Carbon

Energy and carbon management is critical to Bega plan to remain a sustainable business, as energy consumption is a major contributor to the cost of manufacture and the carbon footprint of products. Bega’s Energy and Carbon Management Strategy is focused on continuously striving to delivery products that are less energy intensice through innovation and efficiency improvements. Bega’s Energy and Carbon Strategy focuses on; Mitigating cost and risks associated with energy supplies Minimising the energy and carbon intensity of operations Driving continuous improvement in energy costs by enhancing business systems and practices for energy management

Evidence Evidence

Energy Savings

Bega has implemented a variety of energy saving schemes across the Group that covers areas such as; compressed air, heating, refrigeration, lighting and steam systems. Some of the projects implemented have been with the assistance of State or Federal Government funding and have also improved internal knowledge systems via training in addition to the primary energy saving benefits.

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Energy Use

Bega has improved its overall production efficiency and energy efficiency by focusing on overall equipment effectiveness. Bega’s energy and carbon management strategy provides further improvements through its use of Key Performance Indicators such as energy use per tonne of product. Bega is committed to reducing its energy intensity.

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Energy Sourcing

Most of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels such as coal, gas, oil or from nuclear power. Increasingly countries are developing renewable energy sources. Bega presently sources approximately 20% of its total energy from non-fossil fuel sources in the form of wood waste and is dedicated to increasing the percentage as part of its energy and carbon management strategy.

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Carbon Emissions

Bega monitors carbon emissions and manages environmental and business risks through its Energy and Carbon Management Strategy. Approximately two thirds of Bega’s carbon emissions come from electricity and a third from gas. Sites producing powder products use more energy and generate more emissions than other sites. Bega has participated in life cycle assessment analysis and is aware of the carbon footprint of its cheese products.

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Global Warming

Greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burnt. They act like a greenhouse and trap the suns heat, causing rising air and water temperatures known as “global warming’. Different greenhouse gases are converted into their equivalent amounts of carbon dioxide (a common greenhouse gas) and called “carbon emissions’. Global warming affects the earth’s climate system causing changes to sea levels, rain fall, severity of storms and droughts and is called ‘climate change’.

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Water

Bega recognises that process water and wastewater management is critical to developing a sustainable business. Bega collaborates on industry research projects to minimize water use and conserve this critical resource.

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Sourcing Water

Bega mainly sources water from the local municipalities in the regions where it operates. This allows the business to easily access consistent good quality water treated to the appropriate standard to comply with Food Safety regulations. In the Bega Valley, the factory continues to source water from high-quality treated bore-water. Water samples are collected daily and assessed in accordance with stringent guidelines by a NATA (National Associated of Testing Authorities) certified laboratory.

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Wastewater Management

Wastewater from Bega sites are used for irrigation directly from our factories or through municipality treatment systems. Factory water from Bega and Strathmerton facilities are directly irrigated while wastewater from Coburg and Tatura are treated by the municipalities before reuse for irrigation.

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Storage Dam

A 120 megalitre Wet Weather Storage Dam (WWSD) is located on Bega’s Factory Water Reuse site in Bega and allows operation during rain or flood events. Factory water is stored for subsequent reuse when irrigation areas require moisture and is a critical part of the businesses risk management strategy. The WWSD enabled Bega to develop new techniques for wastewater and odour management that may lead to changed practices in the dairy industry. Land and wetlands are rehabilitated in partnership with “Landcare” and the catchment management association.

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Trade Waste

Bega’s Victorian sites have Trade Waste agreements with Goulburn Valley Water and Yarra Valley Water. Refer to their websites for information on objectives for treating and reusing or disposal of waste water in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way. Trade waste is minimized at all sites by recovery and recycling programs. Fat is removed and recycled to industrial products where possible.

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Chemicals Management

Bega uses chemicals for cleaning and sanitising dairy processing equipment and production areas. They are collected in the waste water and carefully assessed for environmental impacts as part of an extensive nutrient management program that underpins the factory water reuse irrigation program. Chemical suppliers assist Bega Cheese to optimize chemical usage, avoid wastage and meet reporting requirements under the National Pollutant Inventory program.

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Using Resources Wisely

To guarantee the future of sustainable dairy manufacturing, Bega must carefully manage its use of local resources. Numerous resource management programs have been implemented that monitor, assess and improve use of local resources. These influence our waste management initiatives and the effect of our production on our local region. We are moving towards an integrated sustainable framework with other local industries and use all wastewater at some sites for irrigation of agricultural pastures, decreasing the use of fertilisers in the region and improving regional sustainability.

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Reducing Landfill

A core activity in sustainable manufacturing is reducing production of waste and particularly waste sent to landfill. Bega accomplishes waste reduction by reducing our raw material use, maximizing our production efficiency, improving and developing new recycling and reuse initiatives. Bega is actively pursuing waste to energy systems and industrial ecology opportunities.

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Recycling Initiatives

Bega is proud of its recycling program which collects and recycles or reuses number of alternate wastes including pallet, batteries and e-waste. In addition to this all cardboard, plastics, drums, metal, glass, aluminum, cartridges and paper are recycled. We monitor and audit our performance regularly and are committed to minimizing waste to landfill, maximizing reuse and recycling and moving towards a minimal waste production method.

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Nutrient Management

Bega provides beneficial nutrients for pasture growth at sites where factory water is reused by irrigation. An extensive nutrient management program monitors ground moisture level, irrigation needs, nutrient distribution, soil health and ground water to assess overall environmental impact and improve nutrient management. A nutrient management and groundwater report is prepared annually for sites that directly irrigate wastewater. The report is presented to farmers in the program and the EPA.

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