Tate & Lyle Reduces its Footprint with the Carbon Trust

Raw cane sugar milling is almost carbon neutral. Cane grows in the field, waste fibre from the cane powers the factory and the cane re-grows each year, often up to 10 times without the need for replanting.

23/06/09 Tate & Lyle has announced that the carbon footprint of its cane sugar is 380 grams of CO2 per 1 kilogram bag. Tate & Lyle sugar will carry the Carbon Reduction Label later in the year.

A 12 month project, using the PAS 2050 methodology and the Carbon Trust’s Footprint Expert tool, measured the carbon footprint for Tate & Lyle’s UK cane sugar refining business from the sugar cane field, to supermarket shelf, to consumer consumption and waste disposal.

Raw cane sugar milling is almost carbon neutral. Cane grows in the field, waste fibre from the cane powers the factory and the cane re-grows each year, often up to 10 times without the need for replanting. It is then transported by Tate & Lyle to its UK refinery by ship; widely regarded as the most energy efficient mode of transport only producing very small levels of CO2 emissions per tonne shipped.

The company committed to measure and reduce its carbon footprint in December 2007, when it also announced plans for a new biomass boiler at its Thames site. The new biomass boiler, which is currently being commissioned, will provide Tate & Lyle with 70% of its energy needs at the London refinery allowing the company to reduce its use of fossil fuels.

Simon Houghton-Dodd, Head of Quality and Sustainability at Tate and Lyle Sugars said: “We have received a great deal of interest in our carbon footprint from customers. It is great that we can demonstrate that because of the methods used in sugar cane farming, milling and refining, although it is grown so far away, Tate & Lyle cane sugar has a very low carbon footprint; there is no conflict between choosing to support trade with developing countries and seeking to minimise your carbon footprint."

Euan Murray, General Manager Carbon Footprinting, Carbon Trust said: “Tate & Lyle’s project shows that ‘food miles’ should not be the main consideration for consumers who are trying to buy green. The Carbon Trust’s rigorous and independent certification process shows that products that source raw materials from developing countries like Belize and Ghana, don’t necessarily have higher footprints.

Consumers repeatedly tell us that they want to be able to make informed climate friendly choices when they shop. Seeing our Carbon Reduction Label on basics like sugar lets them know that Tate & Lyle is committed to reducing the carbon footprint across the supply chain of that product. The Carbon Trust congratulates Tate & Lyle for taking on this project and for their commitment to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change.”

Tate & Lyle has an overall target to reduce energy consumption by 3% per annum and this has been in place since 2000. In addition, the company is a net-exporter to the National Grid from its London refinery.