The grey water footprint of milk due to nitrate leaching from dairy farms in Canterbury, New Zealand

Joy, Michael K., Rankin, Douglas A., Wöhler, Lara, Boyce, Paul, Canning, Adam, Foote, Kyleisha J., and McNie, Pierce M. (2022) The grey water footprint of milk due to nitrate leaching from dairy farms in Canterbury, New Zealand. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 29 (2). pp. 177-199.

[img] PDF (Accepted Publisher Version) - Accepted Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

View at Publisher Website: https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2022.20...
 
4
3


Abstract

The Canterbury Region of New Zealand has undergone rapid and significant land use intensification over the last three decades resulting in a substantial increase of nitrate-nitrogen leached to the environment. In this article, we determined the nitrate grey water footprint of milk, which is the amount of water needed to dilute nitrogen leached past the root zone to meet different receiving water nitrate standards per milk production unit. Our analysis revealed the nitrate grey water footprint for Canterbury ranged from 433 to 11,110 litres of water per litre of milk, depending on the water standards applied. This footprint is higher than many estimates for global milk production, and reveals that footprints are very dependent on inputs included in the analyses and on the water quality standards applied to the receiving water. The extensive dairy farming in Canterbury is leading to significant pollution of the region’s groundwater, much of which is used for drinking water. Dairy farming at this intensity is unsustainable and if not reduced could pose a significant risk to human health and the market perception of the sustainability of the New Zealand dairy industry and its products.

Item ID: 74222
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 2159-5356
Copyright Information: © 2022 Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand Inc.
Date Deposited: 31 May 2022 21:54
FoR Codes: 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management > 300204 Agricultural management of nutrients @ 100%
SEO Codes: 18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1803 Fresh, ground and surface water systems and management > 180304 Freshwater assimilative capacity @ 30%
10 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 1001 Environmentally sustainable animal production > 100104 Management of water consumption by animal production @ 70%
Downloads: Total: 3
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page