Partnership to support sustainable choices
SCOTTISH distillery Eden Mill has announced a new partnership with biotech firm MiAlgae to help repurpose whisky effluent, a by-product of distillation, to grow microalgae.
Microalgae provides a sustainable source of Omega-3s, which are traditional sourced from wild-caught fish which can lead to unsustainable overfishing.
This initiative between the St. Andrews-based distiller and MiAlgae aims to provide planet-friendly solution for this by using the whisky by-product from Eden Mill’s distillation process to nurture the Omega-3-rich microalgae.
Douglas Martin, founder and managing director at MiAlgae, said: “By partnering with Eden Mill, we will use nutrients from their distillery by-products to grow our eco-friendly Omega-3-rich microalgae.
“We’ll also upcycle the effluent to clean water. Their shared commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with our mission to advance biotechnology for good.”
The whisky effluent is set to be housed in a storage tank, which will be installed by 28 October at the Eden Mill distillery and will allow Eden Mill to hit the ground running on its new initiative with MiAlgae when its distillation re-commences in early 2025.
This makes up part of Eden Mill’s new distillery, which will open its doors to the public in spring next year complete with a retail space, cafe and as bar on the top floor looking out over the Eden Estuary.
Rennie Donaldson, chief executive officer at Eden Mill, said: “We are delighted to announce our long-term partnership with MiAlgae, making use of their advanced bio-technology to create sustainable Omega-3 from our distillery’s effluent waste.
“Sustainability is a hugely important part of our distillery plans, and for our business as a whole, so the team are excited to see a by-product given an environmentally friendly second-use.”
