Is greek yoghurt destroying the environment ?

The greek yoghurt market is increasing in the USA. It is due to health and the diet trend. 

This yoghurt presents many advantages because is more nourishing, it contains twice more proteines than a classic yogourt and it is less caloric because it contains less lactose and less sugar. This product seducts american consumers ! This industry is 2 billions dollars per year.

                      

But this taste is not without consequences for the environment because the production of the yoghurt creates an acide residu. 

An article published  in the American magazine « Modern Farmer » reveals negative aspects of the production of greek yoghurt which is particularly concerned because it takes so much more milk to produce, about three cups of milk for every one cup of yoghurt.

The big question is « where does this waste go ? »

Chobani delivres the toxic greenish mess to local farms, where it is then mixed with live stock feed.

« Right now, we choose to return whey to farmers, most of whom use it as a supplement to their livestock feed. Some is used as a land-applied fertilizer but only at farms that have nutrient management plans in place with the state environmental conservation agency. A small percentage is also sent to community digesters, where the whey is used to produce energy. »

A photo of the digesters that Chobani is speaking of can be seen below:

                                  

                          Photo of an actual manure slurry of whey / Justin Ellion / Modern Farmer

Justin Elliott writes in the Modern Farmer that the acidic whey « cannot just be dumped » :

« It's a thin, runny waste product that can’t simply be dumped. Not only would that be illegal, but whey decomposition is toxic to the natural environment, robbing oxygen from streams and rivers. »

Whey is a disaster for biological systems and in recent years, whey accidents have resulted in the death of thousand of fish.

For example a factory that produces 26,500 gallons of milk per day creates the same amount of pollution as a city of 60 000 people.  

What are possible solutions for this?

First, whey can be used to produce energy like electricity.

Then, one of the solution consists in extract the milk sugar from the whey and use it for infant formula.

All these solutions are expensive, not very efficient and unfortunately not close to solve the problem.

Cécile Vendeville

http://www.slate.fr/lien/72901/yaourt-grec-pollution