Cayman Islands: Cayman Islands Brewery sets up a bottle recycling program, making a serious commitment to the environment
The Cayman Islands Brewery (CIB), makers of the local beer Caybrew, has made a serious commitment to the environment through a range of thoughtful and in some cases trend-setting measures.
One such area is in relation to the recycling of used bottles. Caybrew is the only company on the Island to recycle bottles, and this initiative is a standard-bearer in the brewery’s environmental efforts.
“This is a small island which is particularly vulnerable to climate change and protecting our environment is extremely important to the tourist economy,” said General Manager of the Cayman Islands Brewery (CIB) Allen Chu Fook.
“It is important that we behave as responsible environmental citizens and do what we can to reduce our impact.”
Kate Cuming, Marketing and Sales Manager at Caybrew, said they are trying to reduce the carbon footprint in the Cayman Islands.
She explained that in addition to the environmental benefits it is also partly an awareness programme to educate members of the public that they do not have to throw away all of their bottles.
“It also helps to reduce the amount of new bottles we import into the country,” she said.
While this initiative is a benefit to the environment, members of the public also stand to benefit.
Local bars, restaurants and liquor stores are all taking part with the drive to return empties. The company has also developed a number of innovative marketing strategies to encourage Caybrew customers to bring back bottles. Bar owners will receive $2.00 on every carton (24 bottles).
Though the amount may not be very attractive to large bars, the company hopes to generate a charitable fund out of the money refunded. They explained that by encouraging bars to collaborate with local voluntary and charitable organizations to donate the ‘returns’ money, this contribution could soon be quite significant.
In addition, members of the public who would like to help in Caybrew’s recycling programme can do so by returning empty bottles to their facility on Shamrock Road. The refund rate is eight cents per bottle and $2.00 per case.
In an effort to make recycling as easy and efficient as possible, the next move is the introduction of blue crates for the bars and restaurants. These crates have a two-fold impact. The first is that it would make it easier for staff to prepare the empty Caybrew bottles for return during the course of a busy evening. Secondly, the company also hopes it would reduce the number of cardboard cartons the brewery brings into the Island.
Technical Manager at CIB and the man behind the creation of Caybrew, Oliver Wesseloh, explained why cardboard cartoons are not the best solution.
“The cardboard cartons can soon disintegrate behind a bar so it is not always convenient for bartenders to use them to collect the empties,” he explained.
“We hope the crates will make life a lot easier for staff to stack and store empties ready to be returned to us. It also means we will cut down on the amount of cartons we use to deliver our Caybrew. The full orders will go out in the crates and then the empties will come back to us in them,” he said.
Another major element in the brewery’s environmental strategy is water conservation and recycling. To make one litre of Caybrew it takes approximately ten litres of water and the CIB has constructed its own sophisticated water treatment procedure to maintain the quality of the beer.
When the water comes into the brewery it is further purified and filtered before it is used in the brewing process. All the water left over from the process of cleaning and brewing is collected into a septic tank and pumped into the membrane bioreactor treatment system. The treatment water is then used to water the landscaping around the brewery and for cleaning the delivery vehicles.
Officials at the brewery also said they are in discussions with the National Trust so the water could be used to irrigate its lands.
Mr Chu Fook noted how precious water is to the Island and said the brewery intended to keep finding ways to utillise its own supply.
“As water plays a key part in brewing and CIB supports a policy of being an environmentally responsible brewery, it is crucial that we ensure this precious resource is not wasted,” he said.
According to Mr Wesseloh, their wastewater treatment system treats water to a level in accordance to the European Quality of Bathing Water Regulations.
He said that when installed it was the most advanced wastewater treatment system on Island, adding that Caybrew wanted to be a model.
The Caribbean Brewery Association has also invited Caybrew to a conference to present their wastewater treatment systems as one of the most sophisticated in a brewery around the region.
Another area in which the CIB prides itself is in relation to the disposal of its waste products. The spent grains and yeast, which are left over from the brewing process, are collected and given to local farmers to use as cattle feed. Farmers can collect the spent grain from the spent grain cylo right on the CIB property.
Mr Wesseloh explained the benefit to the local farming community, “Like healthy muesli for cows, the spent grains are high in protein, carbohydrates and fibre. We happily donate this to farmers free of charge.”
Not resting on their laurels, the brewery is also looking into the possibility of expanding their environmental efforts.
The CIB hopes in the future they would be able to generate its own power, which would dramatically reduce the facility’s carbon footprint.
Mr Wesseloh said he is hoping that once the government’s negotiations with CUC are complete there will be room in the new deal to enable organizations like CIB to install solar roof panels so they can begin their own power generation. With so much sunlight in Cayman, Mr Wesseloh believes the brewery could meet 100 percent of its own power needs this way and probably use technology to store power for its own back-up, creating what they claim would be the ultimate in eco-friendly brewing.
07 September, 2007
