In line with its CSR strategy and Sustainability Policy, CAPSA aims to protect the environment and preserve the natural environment in which it operates.
To achieve this, the dairy firm works towards minimising environmental impact throughout its value chain: from farms to the new materials into which wastes will be transformed.
It therefore contributes to achieving many of the SDGs adopted by the United Nations, specifically:
Through Central Lechera Asturiana (SAT), the majority shareholder, CAPSA’s farmers have access to consulting and collaboration services for improving the environmental impact of their farms.
These services are aimed at reducing energy consumption and introducing renewable energy on farms (CLAS Energy programme), reducing fuels and CO2 emissions in milk collection routes by optimising them; as well as training and awareness programmes on agricultural best practices.
For 2020, CAPSA has established the objective to ensure that the energy on its farms is 100% green energy, certified with renewable origin guarantees.
In 2019, 75% of the energy consumption on CAPSA’s farms was already from renewable sources.
For CAPSA, the first step in environmental protection is to optimise resources. Consuming only what is necessary, CAPSA avoids wasting raw materials and resources, preventing pollution from the source.
Over the years, CAPSA has been working on multiple projects aimed at reducing and optimising water consumption, as well as returning it to the natural environment, in the best conditions, to reduce fuel and electricity consumption while incorporating renewable energy sources and reducing other environmental impacts in its manufacturing facilities.
CAPSA not only makes milk, it also cogenerates the electricity it needs for its consumption. CAPSA is self-sufficient, since it generates more than 99% of the energy it consumes.
Its strategy in energy efficiency is based on comprehensive energy consumption management, through monitoring and data analysis, which enables it to progress in its optimisation. Multiple projects have been carried out in this area over the years in auxiliary and productive processes, where CAPSA has developed various improvement projects.
CAPSA also works to promote sustainable mobility in distributing its products with the aim of reducing the impact on the environment and greenhouse gas emissions derived from logistics. To achieve this, there are multiple actions in the field of mobility:
These actions contribute to reducing CAPSA’s carbon footprint on its product distribution route and are a step towards advancing its LEAN & GREEN commitment with AECOC in the fight against climate change.
CAPSA also works with other resources to ensure that they remain in the supply chain as long as possible. It extends the circular economy to water resources to reduce consumption and ensure that water of the highest quality is returned to the environment.
The water consumption ratio has been reduced by 10% over the last 4 years..
The total m³ consumed in 2018 and 2019 was:
CAPSA’s objective is also to improve discharge quality, reduce chemical product consumption and reduce potential risks of uncontrolled discharge, thereby maximising the safety of the purification process. CAPSA managed to return water with the highest quality to the environment, having emitted only 22.6% of the pollution authorised in 2019 (expressed in kg COD discharged/kg COD authorised).
CAPSA’s main objective is to consume only what is essential, reduce waste generation at its source and when this is not possible, ensure that resources are recovered to remain in the economy for as long as possible.
This is CAPSA’s contribution towards promoting a circular economy model, moving ever closer to reaching its Zero Waste objective.
Through awareness and teamwork, CAPSA has reduced waste generation by more than a quarter, integrating and transforming 95% of waste into new value-added resources. CAPSA thus adheres to its commitment signed with AECOC to fight against food waste.
CAPSA works on the eco-design of its packaging to minimise environmental impact.
Also, the containers put on the market are recyclable, contributing to developing a circular economy.
CAPSA maintains a continuous improvement approach in its concern for the environment and philosophy for taking care of its products. That is why the environmental variable is considered from the packaging design stage, finding ways to minimise the impact in all phases of the life cycle, from the materials used, their transport and consumption and until the end of their useful life. CAPSA works to ensure that its packaging is transformed back into a raw material from which new products are manufactured in order to close the cycle, evolving towards a circular economy.
The first step to preserving the environment is to consume only what is essential. CAPSA works to achieve efficient packaging using the minimum amount of materials, water and energy without compromising functionality.
When CAPSA designs and manufactures packaging, it considers the entire phase of its life cycle in order to minimise any environmental impact.
And when food safety allows, recycled materials, such as CAPSA’s new grouping films with 50% recycled plastics, are also incorporated.
So that a circular economy focused on 0 waste is possible, CAPSA’s packaging is designed with materials that enable maximum recyclability at the end of their useful life, so that they become new materials.
In this sense, CAPSA uses recyclable materials that are compatible with existing recycling processes to make its packaging. To achieve this, it takes material selection, the type of adhesives and inks used and the different characteristics of the package design into account to ensure recyclability so that the materials used have a second life.
However, in this circular economy process, your contribution is as important as ours.
When you consume the product, separate to recycle the containers. Recycling has important benefits for CAPSA and for the environment.
To help you in this mission, the corresponding logo appears on each container type. You can also check the appropriate container in CAPSA’s product specifications.
And now, if you also like to have control of what you have recycled, we invite you to download the ReciclaYa app..
Development of an environmental innovation programme aimed at boosting the circular economy and mitigating climate change.
In addition to taking a shareholding in the technology company ENTOMO AGRO-INDUSTRIAL, whose objective is to develop the use of insects as bioconverters, CAPSA FOOD is developing a technological and industrial project together with Entomo that is unique in the Spanish dairy sector, which will enable it to transform organic waste into products with high added value.
The objective of the Biogastur Project is to provide a solution to the problem of soil and water contamination from livestock slurry; transforming it into renewable-origin electricity and fertiliser for the soil.
A circular economy project in the field of energy, recovering the energy that dissipates into the atmosphere as a new source of energy in other processes; thus decreasing fossil fuel consumption. This project begins at CAPSA’s manufacturing facility in Granda.
The purpose of this project is to validate a new technology on a demonstrative scale that is based on anaerobic digestion of industrial and urban wastewater at room temperature. This system has been proposed to obtain bioenergy and reusable water in a sustainable way by treating wastewater at room temperature and with a low operating cost.
CAPSA FOOD has collaborated on the design of a prototype to purify the waste water generated in the Outeiro de Rei factory through a process using SIAM technology (Integrated Anaerobic Membranes System), obtaining quality effluent which, through a subsequent tertiary treatment, enables its reuse as rinsing, irrigation, etc. water, thus contributing the company’s experience and knowledge in classifying and treating wastewater from the dairy industry.
The project aims to prevent and reduce the environmental impact associated with manufacturing dairy products, promoting food eco-design by designing and using software adapted to the unique aspects of the sector.
A software tool has been developed that makes it easier for dairy industries to design products with less environmental impact; in other words, to ECO-DESIGN products. Consumers’ purchasing motivations have also been identified in order to generate ‘sustainability claims’ and an in-depth study has been carried out on their behaviour towards eco-designed products.
CAPSA has signed an agreement with Asturias company Nortpalet to make plastic pallets from recycled waste. The waste generated in the production of 100% recyclable plastic bottles is thus transformed into long-life pallets, which are used to move products to points of sale. In the future, they can also be reused by transforming them into new plastic pallets with the same properties as the original ones.
These pallets are returned to CAPSA’s Granda factory, without going through an intermediate centre, which entails additional savings in fuel and associated CO2 emissions. CAPSA is therefore helping to avoid waste and mitigate climate change.
Naturgy and Transportes Sandoval have signed an agreement, also supported by CAPSA, for the construction and commissioning of a public fuel station that will facilitate the transformation of the Central Lechera Asturiana fleet.
The construction of this fuel station makes the transport sector in the principality more competitive and this private initiative will provide service where there is a lack of LNG infrastructures on the Cantabrian Corridor, since the A-8 motorway is not included in European transport development projects.
CAPSA’s objective is to promote the use of natural gas as the best sustainable alternative to fossil fuels derived from oil.
This year, CAPSA FOOD once again participated in European Waste Prevention Week, whose main objective is to raise awareness and educate society to reduce waste generation.
CAPSA’s initiative is based on the “Rethink” awareness and collaboration project, which has been selected from among 16,500 European actions in the field of environmental awareness and education.
The group communicated its achievements to its workers through announcements on the employee portal, information screens, roll-up banners at factory entrances, among other initiatives. Its aim was also to involve employees as well as their families, giving them a fridge magnet to promote recycling, as well as participation in an information day at COGERSA for employees who work in Asturias.
