Scottish distillery Eden Mill has partnered with Scottish biotech company MiAlgae to repurpose whisky effluent, a byproduct of distillation, to grow microalgae as a sustainable source of omega-3.
Global demand for omega-3, typically sourced from wild-caught fish, was driving unsustainable overfishing, Eden Mill said.
MiAlgae offered a circular solution by growing algae – the original source of omega-3 – through an innovative process that eliminated the need for fish, it added.
The biotech company is to use whisky effluent – effectively wastewater produced during the distillation process – from Eden Mill to nurture omega-3-rich microalgae.
To facilitate the partnership, Eden Mill will install a storage tank for effluent at its new distillery outside St Andrews, which is due to commence operations in early 2025.
Eden Mill will distil both gin and single malt scotch whisky in its new distillery. The distiller predominantly supplies to independent retail and online outlets including Amazon, Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange.
“Sustainability is a hugely important part of our distillery plans, and for our business as a whole,” said Eden Mill CEO Rennie Donaldson. “The team are excited to see a byproduct given an environmentally friendly second use.”
It comes after MiAlgae recently secured £14m in funding to upscale operations to meet rising global demand.
The company is also a finalist for the Earthshot Prize – an intiative founded by Prince William to find ‘the most innovative solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges”.
“By partnering with Eden Mill, we will use nutrients from their distillery byproducts to grow our eco-friendly omega-3-rich microalgae,” said MiAlgae founder and MD Douglas Martin. “We’ll also upcycle the effluent to clean water. Their shared commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with our mission to advance biotechnology for good.”
Research into new, sustainable ways to use or treat distillation byproducts is growing. Earlier this year, scientists at Heriot Watt University said they had developed a nanoscale material that enabled wastewater from distillation to produce green hydrogen.
In August, meanwhile, Cotswolds Distillery opened a Wetlands Ecological Treatment System on its distillery grounds. The wetlands was capable of naturally treating three quarters of wastewater from the whisky making process, the distiller said.
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