Environmental management

Plzensky Prazdroj is fully aware of its ecological responsibilities and has adopted an
environmental protection policy as one of its business principles..
All breweries have introduced an environmental management system in accordance with the ISO
14001 internationally acknowledged standards.
Det Norske Veritas staff perform regular external audits for ISO certification in all Plzensky
Prazdroj.

The different breweries are located in various types of environment and each one has its own
specific features - so-called "environmental aspects" relating to environmental protection. These
aspects are constantly reviewed so that the company can adopt the relevant decisions to minimise
the environmental impacts of brewery operations.
Main areas of environmental protection
Basic raw material - Water
Water is the essence of life.
Water is also one of the basic raw materials for the production of beer - forming 85 to 90 percent
of its content. That's why we place great emphasis on protecting water resources for breweries
and invest significant amounts in this area. These investments also help to minimise water
consumption.
Did you know that:
• On average, 5 hl of water are needed to produce 1 hl of beer.
• Breweries around the world try to keep this consumption to the minimum - the target
figure is between 3 and 4 hl per 1hl of beer.
• The champion among Czech brewers in this regard is Radegast with just under 4hl water
consumption per 1hl of beer.
Waste water
Along with minimising water consumption there are also requirements for a system to deal with
waste water. That's why the breweries' waste water disposal systems have highly developed
treatment levels. These not only treat the waste water but also transform the organic pollution
contained in waste water into bio-gas, which can be used as an energy source.
A special class of waste water is rain water that flows out of the brewery complex by means of
rain canalisation. All breweries have installed a security system to prevent states of emergency.
In recent years, the Radegast brewery has developed an ecological system for treating rain water
through biological ponds in the vicinity of the brewery.
Waste
All production is extremely economical in waste produced. 97 % of waste from beer and malt
production is recycled or used for secondary purposes. For example, brewery draff, waste yeast
from fermentation and malt-house waste are products that are highly sought-after in animal
production in agriculture.
Emissions
All emissions from brewery production are in accordance with strict EU legislative requirements.
This includes the careful review of CO2 emissions such as greenhouse gases. The investment
projects implemented recently have moved Plzensky Prazdroj to the leading position in the
SABMiller group.
Packaging
Plzensky Prazdroj is the biggest producer of returnable packaging on the domestic market. Over
90 % of our packaging is returnable. All raw materials used for packaging are recyclable. The
company is a member of the EKO-KOM association, which plays a major role in resolving the
problem of recycling and secondary use of packaging.
Energy consumption
Energy consumption is closely monitored and reviewed in all breweries. Its results in this field
mean that Plzensky Prazdroj now ranks among the leading examples of world brewing.
• Quality and Food Safety, Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Protection
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Pilsen Water tanks

Velke Popovice waste-water treatment plant (reconstruction)

Brew house Pilsner Urquell

Ecological system for treating rain water through biological ponds in the vicinity of the brewery
in Radegast

Boiler plant in Velke Popovice brewery

http://www.prazdroj.cz/en/about-the-company/environmental-management