Distillery Waste Management Plan Template

Note: Due to the limited knowledge of most officials (outside the Western Cape) involved in the granting of Micro Liquor Manufacturing Licenses, we tried to keep the wording of the template below as simple as possible. Distilling terms such as ""stillage"" has deliberately been omitted - simply because not all officials are familiar with them.

Micro Liquor Manufacturing Facility for Spirits - Waste Management Plan

Micro Spirit Manufacturing Facilities produce limited waste products. These waste products can be grouped, and managed by the XXX Distillery as follows:

Solid Waste

This consists of grain husks and fiber, rich in flavor, vitamins and other nutrients and suitable for human or animal consumption. This by product has commercial value but a relative short shelf life (i.e. 2-3 days). It is in a semi-dry state (about 20% moisture) and easily collected in bins for transport. Not more than xxx kg of solid waste will be produced per day.

Arrangements will be made to dispose of this waste as follows:

Arrangement with local piggeries, chicken farmers or other animal to collect the solid wastes and use as animal feed.

Arrangement with local small bakeries/home bakeries to collect the waste for producing health rusks.

Above arrangements will be finalized in such a manner as to maximize the income derived from the solid waste.

Packaging Waste

During the normal course of business, packaging material from received goods will be discarded or returned to suppliers. The non-returnable packaging waste consists of small amounts of plastic bags and cardboard boxes. These will be separated before disposal and arrangements made with street collectors for re-cycling. Not more than xxx kg of plastic, cardboard boxes and other packaging waste will be produced per week.

Sludge Waste

This waste consists of three components: Dead yeast, water (more than 80%)  and grain sediment. It is very high in nutrients (especially in the Vitamin B-group) making it especially suitable as supplement feed for animals. It is used as-is as animal fodder or needs to be further processed for human consumption. The relative small quantities produced (i.e. xxx liter per week) makes it not feasible for human consumption processing. It has a usable shelf-life of about 4 – 6 weeks if handled correctly.

Arrangements will be made to dispose of this waste with local small hold piggeries, chicken farmers or compost producers for collection once per week or once every two weeks.

Distilled Condensate Waste

The following waste products are produced during distilling:

Condensed Highly Volatile Alcohols

Small amounts (i.e. xxx Liter per week) of distilled condensate waste is produced and is rich in methanol and ethanol with less than 10% water. This product is an excellent cleaning solvent to be used directly in the distillery during cleaning and for equipment sterilization purposes.  

Low volatility Organic Compounds

Limited amounts of this waste is produced weekly (i.e. xxx Liter) and added to the sludge waste to be disposed of as indicated.

Waste Water

This waste water is from the following activities:

Reverse Osmosis Filtering of Water

About 8% of water used for the dilution and blending of spirits, is waste water dumped by the reverse osmosis water filter. This water does not contain any organic waste and is normally only rich in dissolved minerals from the municipal water supply. This small amount (i.e. less than xxx Liter per week) will be disposed of in the normal municipal sewage line.

Cleaning Water

This is water used to clean the equipment and floors of the distillery and about xxx Liter per week will be used and disposed of in the normal municipal sewage line.

Other Waste Water

Toilets, urinals and wash basin water will be disposed of in the normal course of business in the municipal sewage line.