ECONSE will be speaking at the CBA’s in Vancouver on May 27th, 2016.
What is a “sustainable brewery”? How do you achieve the triple bottom line goals of social, environmental and financial responsibility? The panel will discuss how breweries are attempting to find this balance through ingredients selection, environmentally friendly production methods, and community-oriented programming
Over 4,500 licensed craft brewers are revitalizing small towns across North America, with revenues estimated at more than CDN$30 billion per year. As one of the fastest growing sectors of the food and beverage industry, small breweries are supporting local economies, creating jobs and contributing to tourism. At the same time, craft brewery wastewater is creating a challenge for aging wastewater treatment infrastructure.
It is common for craft breweries to create five to ten times more wastewater than the beer they package and sell. The impact of this on a wastewater treatment plant can be equivalent to 10,000 – 20,000 people. For most small towns, the municipal plant is not designed to handle that much load. Municipalities are faced with the difficult decision of supporting growth in a local business or imposing fines to cover the cost of treating this high strength wastewater.
In 2015, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, through the Bloom Centre for Sustainability, engaged Econse Water Purification Systems to design a wastewater treatment system that could meet the specific needs of the craft brewing industry. After pilot testing at four craft breweries in Ontario, Econse introduced their Brü Clean System at the recent Ontario Centres of Excellence – OCE Discovery conference in Toronto.
Brü Clean is a modular, chemical-free system designed for easy installation and maintenance, making wastewater management simple and efficient for craft breweries. It overcomes a variety of challenges in this sector, such as:
Toronto, Ontario – September 27, 2016 – The St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences (River Institute) is pleased to partner with Econse on the Craft Beer Waterprints project, which will launch at the Ontario Craft Brewers Conference on October 13th, in Toronto.
Like a footprint or fingerprint representing the unique impact that a business has on water systems in its community, Econse’s Craft Beer Waterprints measure and analyze the wastewater that craft breweries produce to improve their water quality and make it easier to meet local wastewater targets. The River Institute received funding in addition to both technical and business advisory services from the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC’s IRAP) to support the Craft Brewers Waterprints project.
Louis Savard, Program Leader of Applied Research and Technical Services with the River Institute, said, “We’ve been focused on practical research initiatives that can be used by industry quickly and easily. Our goal from the year-long project is to give craft brewers results within a month that they can apply right away in a step-wise approach to wastewater management.” With community action in their DNA, the River Institute specializes in applied research in the environmental sciences for industry and local municipalities.
Derek Davy of Econse said, “We are excited to partner with the River Institute to help small to midsized breweries understand their waterprint so that they can make informed decisions about their operations and have a positive impact on their community.” The team from Econse will be at the Ontario Craft Brewers Conference with the River Institute and craft brewers will be able to sign up and benefit from this initiative at the conference.
Econse, a Canadian next generation water purification company for small and midsized businesses and remote communities, developed BrüClean to meet the specific needs craft brewers have with water management. BrüClean is designed with science-first innovative technology in a modular system that’s quick to install, chemical-free and tells local regulators they’re serious about meeting wastewater targets. Econse’s BrüClean and Craft Beer Waterprints are the result of partnerships with Bloom Centre and leading craft brewers in Ontario to manage wastewater at source.
Contact: Derek Davy, Business Development, ECONSE
derek@econse.com (416) 606-5014
Louis Savard, Program Leader – Applied Research and Technical Services
St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
lsavard@riverinstitute.ca (613) 936-6620 ext. 301
riverinstitute.ca/
Sawdust City Brewing Company, is partnering with Toronto-based ECONSE Water Purification Systems Inc. to install the first BRÜ CLEAN SYSTEM to treat their brewery wastewater onsite.
Situated in picturesque Gravenhurst, Ontario, the Gateway to Muskoka, Sawdust City Brewing Company is an exciting part of the region’s culture and industry as the trend for craft and artisanal food and beverages continues to grow in Ontario. Sawdust City Brewing Company is taking the lead in responsible water management by adopting a revolutionary new, chemical-free, micro-wastewater treatment solution that will help protect the 80 plus Lakes that are located within Gravenhurst.
“All of us who live in Muskoka know that our water is a precious resource,” says Rob Engman, President of Sawdust City Brewing Company. “Sustainability in all of our operations is a top priority. Wastewater management is the most crucial issue facing the craft brewing industry in Ontario. We are proud that our company is taking a leadership position through our partnership with The BRÜ CLEAN SYSTEM by Econse.”
By treating their wastewater on-site, Sawdust City is helping to reduce the burden on the District of Muskoka’s Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), thereby saving the District money and energy by solving the problem at source, where it costs significantly less to treat compared to treatment at the WWTP. The District of Muskoka has been supportive in the development of this project and encouraged Sawdust City to investigate and adopt their own on-site treatment.
“My suggestion to others considering wastewater treatment is to start planning now, consult other breweries on their plans and consider your brewery’s goals,” comments Engman. “We selected The BRÜ CLEAN SYSTEM because we liked that the system is an on-site solution that will accommodate not only our immediate needs but is equipped to handle the requirements of our long-term growth.”
About BRÜ CLEAN SYSTEM
The BRÜ CLEAN SYSTEM by ECONSE is designed specifically to help craft brewers treat wastewater in an affordable and responsible way. The chemical-free solution helps solve problems facing the craft brewery industry, such as rising fees for water and wastewater, reducing the added cost of chemicals to treat water, improving water consumption and environmental impact. It cleans what’s left over from beer production so the water going down the drain is clear of solids, yeasts, phosphorus, nitrogen and more. This helps Municipal water treatment facilities from being over-burdened by any by-products from the factory.
About ECONSE
Econse is a Canadian-owned company that designs and manufactures sustainable, affordable solutions to help manage wastewater for industries and communities across North America.
About SAWDUST CITY BREWING COMPANY
Located in Gravenhurst, Ontario, Sawdust City Brewing Company is dedicated to the art and science of creating great beer. One of Canada’s fastest growing breweries, the 20,000 square foot location includes a 24hL Canadian-made brewhouse, canning line and barrel-aging cellar. Open 7-days a week, the on-site saloon features 12-tap lines, tasting boards, live entertainment, and brewery tours. The adjacent retail store offers the best selection of Sawdust City beer including core brands, specialty and seasonal beer releases. Sawdust City Beer is available at The LCBO, The Beer Store and hundreds of Ontario bar and restaurant partners.
For More Information Contact:
Derek Davy, Business Development – Econse
416-606-5014
Econse Water Purification Systems Inc. is proud to announce that their technology was chosen to advance to the semi-final round in the George Barley Water Prize.
As the only Canadian company to advance, they will now compete with 9 other academic institutions and companies from around the world in a global effort to help reduce the effect of phosphorus pollution on our precious waterways.
The George Barley Water Prize is a crowdsourcing innovation challenge looking to find the best solutions for removing phosphorus from bodies of water. Private companies and academic institutions develop and demonstrate how their next generation technology can help drive change.
Phosphorus in water can accelerate weed growth and algal blooms, a problem “becoming more and more frequent,” says Sabrina Ternier, with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change’s Environmental Innovation Branch. “This is a global issue and it’s going to take global innovation to solve.”
Econse is an Ontario based company that develops water and wastewater solutions for niche problems facing SMEs and local businesses across Canada. After working with Craft Brewers to provide on-site treatment BrüClean System, Econse began exploring ways that their technology could be adapted to help other larger environmental issues.
“We were contacted by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture (OMAFRA) and the Ministry of the Environment (MOECC) to see if we could help and support the Holland Marsh Growers Association as they worked to find a better way to reduce nutrients entering Lake Simcoe from local farms.” Says Derek Davy, co-founder and head of business development for ECONSE. “We brought our equipment in to demonstrate how washwater could be easily treated and re-used in a safe, and chemical free way” Shortly after the results were published Econse was asked to join the George Barley Water Prize.
In 2017, Georgian College in Barrie was recruited to assist the ECONSE team in testing and analysis. “With financial assistance from OCE, a Provincial Grant, Georgian College students were able to operate and evaluate the Econse technology and support the project by providing valuable feedback and reporting.” Says Dr. Mira Ray, Director for the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation at Georgian College.
Upon the completion of the George Barley Water Prize, Econse hopes to continue research to help farms, businesses and conservation authorities in the Lake Erie region through the use of their technology in support of achieving targets set out in the Great Lakes Conservation Agreement.
Econse graciously acknowledges the Holland Marsh Growers Association, WaterTAP, Haltech, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, Innovation Guelph, BLOOM, MaRS, Runway Financial, and Gilberts LLP in supporting our efforts as we develop the next generation of chemical free water treatment.
For more information please contact:
info@econse.com
http://www.barleyprize.com
https://binational.net
