Journal article
The grey water footprint of milk due to nitrate leaching from dairy farms in Canterbury, New Zealand
Australasian journal of environmental management, Vol.29(2), pp.177-199
03/04/2022
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Source: InCites
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.
Details
- Title
- The grey water footprint of milk due to nitrate leaching from dairy farms in Canterbury, New Zealand
- Creators
- Michael K. Joy - Victoria University of WellingtonDouglas A. Rankin - Whitewater NZ, Christchurch, New ZealandLara Wohler - University of TwentePaul Boyce - University of SaskatchewanAdam Canning - James Cook UniversityKyleisha J. Foote - Concordia UniversityPierce M. McNie - Université du Québec à Montréal
- Publication Details
- Australasian journal of environmental management, Vol.29(2), pp.177-199
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Number of pages
- 23
- Identifiers
- 991013092523902368
- Copyright
- © 2022 Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand Inc.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article