Academic working to take carbon pollution out of beer

Dr Paul Barratt, from the Geography department, has been working with Muntons, which produces malt for the brewing, distilling and food industries, as part of a project by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures to support regional companies reducing carbon footprints in their supply chains.

Muntons, which has sites in Bridlington and Suffolk, aims to be producing low-carbon malt within five years.

A study of the company’s carbon footprint – validated by Dr Barratt and the CLCF – showed that around 60 per cent of its carbon emissions were not directly associated with its own activities but with farming activities in its supply chain, mostly resulting from fertiliser production and use.

The CLCF hosted a meeting with growers, farming co-operatives, customers and a company specialising in organic fertilisers, followed by a presentation from Dr Barratt at a regional growers’ forum.

They have now helped Muntons to develop a “carbon calculator” to enable farmers to calculate their own carbon footprints.

Dr Barratt said: “They’re working on many different levels and have established a robust evidence-based strategy for tackling carbon emissions.

“That not only makes the company interesting in itself, it also means their experience potentially has a big role to play in informing other businesses looking to improve their environmental performance.”