SPIRIT manufacturer J Wray & Nephew Limited has invested US $7 million into a dunder treatment plant at its Appleton Sugar Estate in St Elizabeth to reduce its operational impact on the environment.

Appleton’s Chairman Clement ‘Jimmy’ Lawrence on Friday told the Jamaica Observer, during a visit to the estate, that the investment is “more of a continuous improvement” on a basis set by the National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA) to bring the company in compliance regarding acceptable environmental standards.

This treatment plant is a nanofiltration system where solids are removed from the dunder, the waste from the distillation process. This waste is high in dissolves and solids and has a lot of cells, and so it has to be treated in order for it to be discharged.

After the waste is filtered — as it is high in nutrients, and potassium — it is taken to New Yarmouth, the dry area of the company’s operation, where it goes back onto the field for fertigation. “[J] Wray & Nephew, I guarantee you, is probably the most advanced estate, in terms of investment and systems, to reduce the operational impact on the environment.

So we’re very sensitive to that,” Lawrence told the Observer. He insisted that the company is dedicated to reducing any harm done to the environment as a result of its production.

“We’ve invested hugely, too, in the cane wash water processes in terms of settling ponds and filtration and we’ll continue to do that.

The point I’m making is that these things take time. The company has demonstrated the will; it has invested — you can see tangible proof of that. Investing US$7 million in processing effluent from a plant is a significant commitment. I’m sure you would agree with me,” he said.

The chairman said since the Italian-based Campari acquired the company, it has “ramped up” significant investment by expediting the mentioned projects to bring about improvement in the environment.

“There are many dimensions that we are committed to working with to improve the overall environment and impact that we have on it,” said Lawrence. Last October, the company reconfigured its factory to power on an emission-free boiler.

A 2.8 megawatt turbo alternator was purchased to operate the factory, distillery and dunder treatment plant concurrently during peak hours. The exhaust from the boiler is ash-free and emits only water vapour into the atmosphere.