CONO Cheese Makers collaborates with Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Board for sustainable water purification
CONO Kaasmakers and Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier (HHNK) have found a sustainable solution for the wastewater released during the cheese production process. Previously, this water was treated on CONO's premises before being discharged, and this required further investment. Instead of investing in a new wastewater treatment plant, since July 1 the water goes directly from the cheese factory to the sewage treatment plant in Southeast Beemster. Here, the wastewater feeds the bacteria in the treatment plant, thus enhancing the purification process. This gives the cheese factory a 12.5% CO₂-eq reduction.
Most of CONO's wastewater comes from the milk that is processed into cheese. A test conducted by HHNK and CONO showed that the cheese factory's wastewater actually contains many valuable nutrients for the sewage treatment plant in Southeast Beemster.
"With CONO, we searched for a wastewater solution that would be attractive to both CONO and our sewage treatment plant," said Marjan Leijen, director of HHNK. "We were able to look into each other's processes, carry out tests and ultimately choose the variant that is the most sustainable, robust and appropriate. I am pleased with the openness throughout this process. A great example of cooperation with companies."
'Focusing on what we're good at'
Tijs Roeland, the project leader on behalf of CONO calls the cooperation with HHNK a win-win situation for the farmer, the citizen and the company. "For HHNK, valuable wastewater comes in and empty space is filled. We are relieved because we no longer have to treat the water ourselves and can do what we are good at: making cheese."
Meanwhile, CONO has installed a buffer tank on the site where the wastewater is stored for several hours. "During this period, denitrification already purifies the water a little on its own. We can thus discharge at the right time. Untreated, but as clean as possible. And that in turn saves on the water board tax assessment," said Roeland."
Climate ambition CONO
CONO Cheese Makers has the ambition to work together to be positive for future generations. This requires cooperation in the chain. In the process of making cheese, CONO and its partners want to reduce 75% CO₂-eq. in order to reduce the footprint of cheese.