Coca-Cola Pilots Innovative Water Recovery System

By CnAgri2012-07-11 20:00:19 Print

The Coca-Cola Company has developed and tested at commercial scale a first-of-its-kind beverage process water recovery system to produce high-quality water that meets and/or exceeds drinking water standards for use in non-product activities such as clean-in-place and bottle washing. The innovative system expands the range of manufacturing applications for recovered process water and sets precedent for conservation and reuse in the beverage industry.

"Because responsible water management is at the heart of a sustainable future, overcoming today's water challenges calls for extraordinary action," said Bea Perez, chief sustainability officer, The Coca-Cola Company. "We've assumed an active role in advancing innovation that conserves and sustainably manages water resources for the benefit of all--communities, nature, and business."

By reusing the water used in bottling facilities, The Coca-Cola Company can reduce operational water needs and improve water use efficiency by up to 35%, contribute to growth and local economic development opportunities, further support local communities, and reduce its water footprint.

In the absence of global reuse standards for the food and beverage industry, the Company pursued a scientifically rigorous, widely applicable water recovery and reuse approach. The resulting beverage process water recovery system provides water for reuse in selected operations, including clean-in-place and bottle washing. The system takes highly treated process water and further treats it using proven, state-of-the-art technologies: biological treatment in a membrane bioreactor, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, ozonation, and ultraviolet disinfection. The high-quality water meets and/or exceeds stringent drinking water standards.