Mitigation and best practice options

Some simple steps to minimise the effects of meat and dairy processing activities on water quality and mahinga kai include:

• Minimise the use of water in any existing plant.
• Reuse water where possible without treating it first.
• Treat wastewater to allow its reuse.
• Optimise the use of reused water.
• Reduce the use of chemicals or use less harmful ones.
• Recycle chemicals.
• Recover and reuse spilled raw materials and products.
• Process by-products into higher value products instead of waste.
• Design or select new plant to use less water.

For more detailed information click on the links below:

• New Zealand Institute of Chemistry: Environmental Issues in Dairy Processing (PDF 92 KB)
• The Environmental Impact of the Animal Processsing Industries 
• Chemicals Handling in the Tanning Industry 
• Environmental Guidelines for the Dairy Processing Industry