Summary
The Yalumba Wine Company has been operating in Angaston for 150
years and is committed to sustainable winemaking and environmental
improvement. To address this commitment Yalumba has developed
an environmental program, which is implemented using an environmental
management system based on ISO 14001.
Yalumba was the first Australian wine company to participate
in the Greenhouse Challenge scheme and also to become a signatory
to the National Packaging Covenant. The company continues to work
in partnership with the EPA to maintain successful, sustainable
and environmentally friendly business practices. As a result of
this proactive relationship building, Yalumba and 10 of its suppliers
were chosen by the EPA in 2001 to participate in a joint initiative,
the Greener Business Alliance project.
The following is a summary of the salient features of Yalumba's
environmental management program.
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| Photo Copyright:
Yalumba Wine Company |
Introduction
Winemaking activities in South Australia are generally identified
under Schedule 1 Part A of the Environment Protection Act 1993
as having the potential to cause serious environmental harm. To
address this issue, Yalumba, in co-operation with the EPA, has
developed an environment improvement program (EIP) to ensure it
meets its legal obligations as well as other specific environmental
targets.
Yalumba maintains an open dialogue with the EPA, and independent
verification of its monitoring results is undertaken by a specialist.
The program ensures that:
- winery wastewater is used for productive purposes without
causing excessive odour, or degradation of soil or water resources
- improved wastewater treatment is used to avoid odours associated
with wastewater storage and land treatment
- management and monitoring of approved land-treatment sites
are improved
- appropriate storage of potentially odorous solid wastes is
considered.
Greenhouse Challenge
Yalumba has committed to estimating its greenhouse gas emissions
through the use of life cycle analysis and to taking cost-effective
remedial action through a suite of programs including energy conservation,
land management and raising awareness of environmental issues.
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| Photo Copyright:
Yalumba Wine Company |
Land stewardship
The sustainability of land-based activity is determined by the
extent to which natural processes are replaced by human control.
Yalumba strives to achieve the goal of sustainable quality winegrape
production through the implementation of its viticultural code
of practice and its Vitis program. The latter was developed
by Yalumba to guide its vineyard managers towards best practice
environmental management.
Amongst other activities, the program aims to reduce the risk
of environmental harm by:
- using an environmental impact index for agricultural chemicals
registered for use in Australian viticulture
- improving Yalumba's environmental ethics to identify environmental
monitoring techniques
- using lysimeters to monitor grapevine water consumption and
soil-water salinity
- studying bird species on the company properties to determine
how changes in land management and rehabilitation programs are
affecting them
- managing vineyard bird pests
- co-operatively working with the CSIRO Division of Sustainable
Ecosystems
- controlling emissions through the National Pollutant Inventory.
Product stewardship
As a signatory to the National Packaging Covenant and other international
post-consumer packaging schemes, Yalumba is implementing a comprehensive
action plan to demonstrate continuous improvement in reducing
and managing packaging waste. The action plan includes aspects
of packaging design and production as well as consumer education.
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Photo Copyright:
Yalumba
Wine Company |
Waste management
Over the past 25 years Yalumba has been active in identifying
cost-effective and environmentally friendly means of treating
winery wastewater and other by-products of the winemaking process.
The program continues to explore viable options including land-based
treatment processes that minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
Yalumba also has an active recycling plan that engages both its
workforce and the consumer in a shared and extended product stewardship
program.
Environmental citizenship
Yalumba promotes a better understanding of environmental issues
amongst its stakeholders by conducting training sessions and creating
alliances. This approach fosters responsible environmental action
and enables environmental objectives of key customers to be achieved.
Greener Business Alliance project
The EPA selected Yalumba as the mentor company in the Greener
Business Alliance project based on their proactive involvement
in eco-efficiency development.
The 18-month project involved Yalumba and 10 of its suppliers
entering into a three-way eco-efficiency agreement with the EPA
to develop an action plan to reduce the effects of their business
activities on the environment.
As a result of their involvement in the project, Yalumba will
now save $30,000 a year. Their suppliers are achieving combined
savings of $56,000 as a direct result of reducing resource usage,
energy consumption and waste to landfill.
This page was last modified 21-04-2006
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