Abstract

ZAMBRANO, M. A.; MONTENEGRO, J. P.  and  REYES, H.. Estimation of the water footprint associated with the bovine benefit process of the network of meat in the Vijagual and Jongovito meat plant (Colombia). Rev. Med. Vet. Zoot. [online]. 2018, vol.65, n.3, pp.235-251. ISSN 0120-2952.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rfmvz.v65n3.76462.

The water footprint is an indicator of the appropriation of freshwater resources that contributes a valuable information on the environmental impact caused by a good and/or service. Therefore, it is interesting to know the water consumption and the pollution behind all productive processes. The objective of this study was to give a first approximation to the accounting of the water footprint in the process of bovine benefit in the Vijagual S.A.S. meat procesing plant in Bucaramanga city and the Jongovito S.A. meat plant in San Juan de Pasto City. To calculate the blue water footprint it was necessary to know the volume of water used in the process and the water that returns to the water source after its treatment. For the calculation of the gray water footprint, the pollutant load of organic matter expressed in DQO was taken as indicator, since it is the parameter with the highest concentration. The green water footprint was not determined because it was not an agroforestry process. As a result, the Vijagual meat plant the water footprint is 2.583 l/bovine, while the Jongovito meat plant the water footprint of 1.358 l/bovine was obteined. Altough it is true that these values are lower than national and international data, in terms of sustainability, it is very important to reduce water consumption, improve treatment systems more and more, and make an effort to raise awareness about the responsible use of water by its operators, for the benefit of present and future generations.

Keywords : water footprint; stages of benefit; network of meat.

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