Dairy producers could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 49% by upgrading existing processing lines, according to a new Dairy Processing Impact Assessment by Tetra Pak, independently reviewed by the Carbon Trust.
The findings point to significant efficiency gains across energy, water use and product loss, offering a potential pathway for producers to lower costs and environmental impact without full-scale capital replacement.
Processing upgrades deliver measurable efficiency gains
The study covers four major processing line types: chilled pasteurisation, chilled fermented, ambient UHT indirect and ambient UHT direct.
Across all four, average reductions of 47% in greenhouse gas emissions, 45% in water use and 57% in product losses are achievable.
These figures are conservative, as the assessment excludes additional savings from reduced water consumption and product loss, suggesting total environmental benefits could be higher.
Findings align with pressures facing SA dairy sector
For South Africa’s dairy industry, the findings come amid multiple operational pressures, including rising input costs, ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease risks, unreliable energy supply and water scarcity.
The study suggests that targeted upgrades to existing infrastructure could provide relief without requiring full system replacement.
The technology required is already commercially available and can be implemented on existing processing lines.
Three upgrade areas drive emission reductions
Three categories of upgrades underpin the reported efficiency gains.
Electrically powered heat pumps replace or reduce fossil fuel-based boilers and chillers, cutting fuel consumption and emissions.
Integrated process efficiency solutions, including OneStep Technology for UHT milk and yoghurt, combine production steps to reduce electricity and steam use.
Filtration and recovery systems, such as cleaning-in-place recovery and water filtering stations, help reduce both product loss and water consumption.
Solar potential offers local advantage
South Africa’s high solar irradiation levels position solar thermal collectors as a viable option for generating industrial process heat.
These systems can replace fossil fuel-based heating, offering a practical solution in a context of rising energy costs and supply instability.
At a global level, widespread adoption of these upgrades could reduce emissions by up to 12.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year, comparable to removing three million cars from the road.
Water-saving technologies could also reduce global dairy processing water use by up to 455 million cubic metres annually.
Older infrastructure may offer greater savings
Most processing lines currently in operation are older than the 2019 baseline used in the assessment.
As a result, many facilities are likely consuming more energy than the study baseline, suggesting that real-world savings from upgrades could exceed the reported figures.
Roberto Franchitti, Executive Vice President, Processing Solutions and Equipment at Tetra Pak, says: "For many dairy producers, improving efficiency while managing costs is a daily challenge. Our study shows that practical improvements to existing lines can reduce energy, water, chemicals and product loss, helping customers strengthen performance and lower total cost of ownership without major disruption.”
Ongoing technical support critical to maintaining gains
Maintaining efficiency gains depends on consistent technical support, particularly in operating environments affected by load-shedding and limited on-the-ground capacity.
Processing equipment that is not properly maintained may lose performance improvements over time, making after-installation support a key consideration for producers investing in upgrades.
