Environmentally Safe
Environmental benefits of cleaning with dry ice
Many wineries and vineyard businesses today are working to adopt "green" practices that are positive for both the environment and society. Environmentally-sound winemaking methods generally fall into three categories: biodynamic, organic and sustainable. Whatever the method of choice of your winery, we believe that our Barrel Blasting process is an environmentally friendly, positive step in helping wineries adopt these "green" practices.
Environmentally Safe
Dry ice is an environmentally friendly, safe cleaning method for numerous
industrial applications. The process is non-conductive, non-corrosive and
non-toxic. Dry Ice Blasting meets USDA, FDA and EPA guidelines. "Using
dry ice blasting reduces harmful air emissions and generally creates no
addition to the volume of the cleaning process waste stream."
http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/wastemin/tcafinal.pdf
On impact, the dry ice does the work, sublimates, and simply returns to the atmosphere, so no secondary waste is created. The blasting process produces no waste water runoff and the C02 leaves no chemical residue. All that remains for disposal is the contaminant that was removed.
Dry Ice Blasting: Effects on our Environment
The greenhouse effect has become a worldwide concern. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, but just what roll does it play in our environment? First, CO2 is a natural element of the earth, comprising about 0.03% of our atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas found naturally in our environment. Other greenhouse gases are water vapor (H2O), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and halocarbons (such as CFC-11 and CFC-12). With the exception of halocarbons, most greenhouse gases occur naturally.
The remaining gases, oxygen and nitrogen, which make up 99% of the earth's atmosphere, are not greenhouse gases. All of these gases have existed in earth's atmosphere in various concentrations for billions of years. Life as we know it would not exist without them. All humans and animals give off CO2 which is used by plants to help them grow, which in turn give off oxygen to sustain animal life. If it weren't for the greenhouse effect, earth's atmosphere would be well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. It is estimated that the burning of fossil fuels for heat, energy, transportation, along with animal respiration and the burning of forests are by far the largest contributors of greenhouse gases.
Burning of fuel for heat, energy
and transportation |
= @ 14 million tons per day |
|
Burning of forests |
= @ 28 million tons per day |
|
Animal respiration |
= @ 28 million tons per day |
|
U.S. CO2 industry |
= @ 25 thousand tons per day* |
|
*95% of this amount is from industry by-product, or less than .04% of the
other sources mentioned. |
Industrial by-product CO2 is recycled and stored until further needed. Dry
ice pellets being made of already recycled carbon dioxide contribute no
new CO2 with minimal impact to our environment.
Compared to many industrial operations, CO2 suppliers' direct impact on the environment is modest. Most of their process gases - carbon dioxide, helium, some hydrogen - are byproducts of other industrial processes. Many CO2 suppliers capture and refine these byproducts with relatively minimal environmental impact.
Cleaning with CO2 provides environmental benefits derived from the elimination of many chemical cleaners currently used and the drastic reduction of waste which is created by conventional cleaning methods.
The CO2 industry and its users have a very minimal role in adding to the greenhouse effect and as legislation continues with stricter air and water regulations, dry ice blasting will step forward to replace harmful detergent and solvent pollution and their disposal problems.
No Chemicals
Barrel Blasting's cleaning method supports sustainable farming by reducing or eliminating the need for chemical cleaning agents.
Water & Energy Conservation
Since our cleaning method does not use water, we can help wineries reduce their water use resulting in both economical savings and environmental benefits. Typical barrel washing methods can use a massive amount of water, up to 12-25 gallons per barrel each time the barrel is washed out. In addition, by not needing hot water for barrel washing, we also help to conserve the winery's energy consumption.
Saving Trees
Plants use carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, transforming it into oxygen. Thus, plants are able to rid the planet of a great deal of carbon dioxide. The felling of trees and clearing of lands for agriculture is greatly exacerbating the problem of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It is estimated that deforestation produces about 10 to 30% of the C02 buildup in our atmosphere.
The average age of an oak tree harvested for use is 200-300 years. As resources dwindle and prices increase, industry sources estimate that a price point of $1,000 for French oak barrels is not far in the future with American oak barrel prices not far behind. Unnecessary waste and consumption of non-renewable resources are an increasing worldwide concern. In California alone, a staggering 200,000 handcrafted oak wine barrels made from 200- to 300-year-old trees are discarded by wineries each year, with most being resold as planters or firewood.
By using Barrel Blasting's process, a winemaker may gain another year or two out of his wine barrel resulting in great savings and a dramatic decrease in the rate in which French oaks are cut down and made into wine barrels.
|
Regarding our Barrel Blasting services, Dennis Richardson of Richardson
Winery said he likes how "green" the service is.
"Philosophically I favor reclaimed, re-used materials, and
this fits that mold." Dennis Richardson,
Richardson Winery
"I like the concept that Barrel Blasting is getting
the most use out of a wine barrel and helping sustain our great oak
forests. And the fact that they use no water, chemicals, or cleaning
agents means no water runoff into our lakes and streams. I watched as
several 4-8 year old barrels were cleaned and the transformation was
incredible! The process doesn't take long, yet it is a very precise and
thorough cleaning with amazing results. Barrel Blasting is the intelligent
choice for your barrels and promotes sustainable business practices."
Peggy Thorpe - Viticulturist, Walsh Vineyards Management. Inc., and Member
of Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group
"The dry ice completely dissipates, leaving only the contaminant and no
secondary waste, chemical residue or off flavors."
Super Sonic Sanitation Article
"No other barrel cleaning method provides such a thorough examination of
the barrel's interior. If a barrel looks bad, we alert the winemaker of
the problem. If all is well, the barrel will go through the blasting
process. "
|
