Bundaberg Rum has shared its zero waste to landfill policy with industry experts from across the state as part of the Waste and Resource Recovery Queensland conference.
The iconic brand is best known for its bottled spirits but has taken this opportunity, with the Bundaberg Region hosting the biennial event, to highlight its commitment to sustainability.
Bundaberg Rum Governance and Compliance Manager Ty Mckeown said the distillery had been achieving zero waste to landfill for many years.
“Through our waste management practices on site – segregation of recyclable material and the different practices and policies that we have in place – we generate very little non-recyclable waste,” Ty said.
“And that small volume of non-recyclable waste that we do produce, we partner with our waste management contractor Remondis to transfer that waste to their waste to energy facility.
“It’s something we’re quite proud of.”
Looking forward, Ty said Bundaberg Rum would continue its focus on sustainability.
“We’ve got very ambitious targets, 2030 targets, set out by our parent company Diageo around water sustainability, carbon and as well as packaging and waste and recyclable materials.
“So those ambitious targets, whilst it’s quite a few years away, we need to get started straight away.
“We’re looking at lots of different options on site from solar, to meet our carbon neutral targets by 2030, hydrogen power, opportunities around water re-use on site, lots of different opportunities that we’re exploring at the moment.”
Conference delegates relished the opportunity to learn about these practices, under Bundaberg Rum’s zero waste to landfill policy, as well as the rum making process with a special tour of the distillery.
“It’s fantastic to have like-minded individuals and industry partners on site to not only share our great sustainability story here at the distillery, but also network with other organisations and individuals, share ideas and opportunities for the future.”
The Waste and Resource Recovery Queensland conference continues tomorrow.
