The results of the environmental audits and the
aforementioned studies contribute to the reduction of
brewery waste, packaging material and energy consumption,
as well as to a reduction of the quantity of waste water.
The purification of waste water, too, receives much attention.
In the brewery at Zoeterwoude a start was made on the
extension of the waste water purification plant; in that
connection the existing aerobic plant will be combined with
one that is anaerobic. The biogas released during the
anaerobic purification will be used to generate electricity for
the offices of this establishment. A waste water purification
plant was taken into operation in our breweries at Mons-en-
Baroeul (France) and Valencia (Spain). In the brewery at
Aosta (Italy) a start was made on the construction of a fully
automated waste water purification plant.
We succeeded in developing a process for the removal of
cadmium-containing pigments from old crate material. The
feasibility study for this was carried out on our instructions by
the TNO research institute. This is an important step
towards the implementation of a covenant on that subject
which Heineken Nederland has signed with the
environmental organizations.
In the Netherlands, the combined breweries and the Ministry
of Economic Affairs signed the Energy Conservation
Covenant in 1993. The object of this voluntary agreement is
to achieve a 12% improvement in energy efficiency by 1996
compared with the 1989 level.
The pursuit of an environmental policy by international
enterprises such as Heineken is determined by a large extent
by the different laws and regulations in the various countries,
as a result of which little uniformity in policy is yet possible.
We are in favour of the maximum standardization of rules
and regulations and are making a contribution to this through
our involvement in a large number of national and
international consultative organizations in the field of the
environment.
We are continuing our efforts to combat alcohol abuse and to
promote responsible use, amongst other things by
information campaigns. In our opinion, information and self-
regulation are the mainstays of a well-balanced policy in this
field.
Our Company is a member of the 'Amsterdam Group', in
which fourteen large European beverage companies
participate. The principal objective is to carry out research
into and give advice on responsible use of alcohol. In 1993
this group published the report 'Alcoholic Beverages and
European Society', in which inter alia a number of social and
medical aspects of the use of alcohol are discussed. The
report will serve as a basis for consultation with the European
Commission and the World Health Organization regarding
health and social aspects of alcoholic beverages.