Avara Foods has taken its first delivery of carbon dioxide, with a difference. The company is working with RenEco to make use of a greener alternative to traditional sources of the gas, which is used in both the slaughter and packaging of poultry.
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The majority of carbon dioxide used in the UK comes from Europe, and is a by-product of fertiliser production, often using fossil fuels. Avara’s carbon dioxide supply from RenEco uses poultry manure as a feedstock within its anaerobic digesters, to create a host of products, including biofuel and carbon dioxide.
There’s a strong market for carbon dioxide, particularly within the food and drink sector, and Avara anticipates that by using a source that’s close to home, the risk of shortages, like those in 2021, will be a thing of the past.
Andrew Brodie, Avara’s director of people and sustainability, said: “Our experience over the past five years has shown that a well-designed sustainability agenda brings commercial opportunities and benefits – and this is just one example.
“Carbon dioxide is a critical resource in our business, so if there’s an opportunity to protect that supply and unlock value, all with a smaller logistics footprint in a circular economy that uses our poultry manure, we’re going to take it.”