SUSTAINABILITY
IDL has a proven history of integrating sustainable practices into our operations. As we continue to grow, our focus on being a sustainable and responsible business does too. We care for our consumers, staff, community and environment. From investments in renewable energy sources to an onsite wastewater treatment plant, we continue to optimize our operations to use resources as efficiently as possible. Guided by our core values of Respect, Possibilities, Excellence and Partnerships, IDL is constantly striving to evolve.
The large water dam at the center of our facility in Geelong is not just for looks. In beverage production, we use water to rinse out grapes from delivery tankers, run experiments and testing in our lab, and throughout operations in our packaging facility. The dam captures this water from across our production site as well as rainwater from the valley surrounding our site.
The recycled dam water is then used for watering across the facility, including the idyllic gardens and lawns that surround our cellar door. Our groundsmen Russell, from his local family run groundskeeping business, tends to our garden which spans 60 acres. Home to many native fauna and flora, we work to maintain the area’s natural beauty and biodiversity. Gum trees stand tall around the grounds, and any trees which fall or are removed for safety reasons are turned into mulch for our gardens. Mulching assists in water conservation by retaining soil moisture.
The recycled dam water is also used for all onsite irrigation, watering the vines that grow the grapes used to create our signature Idyll Blanc de Blanc (available exclusively at our Cellar Door). These are the original Idyll vineyards, first planted in the late 1960s. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier varieties are now grown in these vineyards.
Beyond watering and irrigation, our dam is also home to three white ducks! Legend has it that these ducks were rescued as ducklings from one of our winemaker’s backyards and they can often be spotted perched on the floating raft in the middle of the dam!
Water Management
Operating a beverage manufacturing facility means we require electricity to power our five packaging lines and beverage production equipment. We are proud that our manufacturing facility is powered by renewable energy. We source the electricity to power our Moorabool manufacturing facility from the Ararat Wind Farm and the Kiamal Solar Farm. Wherever we can, we will always try to lessen our impact on the environment and switch to more sustainable alternatives. Sourcing renewable energy is one of many initiatives we have taken to be more sustainable.
Renewable Energy
Packaging Initiatives
We are particularly dedicated to minimizing the impact our packaging has on the environment. Our cans and slab cartons are made from an average 55% recycled content, while our bottles have an average recycled content of 40%. All our cans, cartons and bottles are 100% recyclable and by working with our innovative industry partners, we’ve been able to lessen the impact our packaging has on the environment even further. All packaging has been updated to include the new ARL logos to make curbside recycling simpler for consumers.
Key environmental packaging statistics at IDL in 2023:
Saved 544 tonnes of solid waste and 765 tonnes of C02 emissions by utilising CHEP pallets
The upgrades to our larger canning line removed the use of PakTech handles and this machine now incorporates cardboard wraps which are both made from recycled materials, and recyclable. We also worked with our glass manufacturing supplier to switch to lightweight sparkling wine bottles which utilise less glass and make transport more efficient.
We are members of APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) and report annually as required. Read our 2023 report below:
Compost Program
Our recycling initiatives aren’t limited to just our packaging and consumables. One of our most innovative recycling programs involves turning grape waste into a nutrient rich compost!
When we have extracted all of the juice from our grapes, the remaining skins and seeds are known as marc. Working with other farmers and businesses in our local area, we participate in a local composting program. Our marc is combined with perlite, water reeds, chipped pallets and horse manure.
The metabolic breakdown creates heat within the compost mixture, which results in very nutrient-rich soil, perfect for maintaining the health of our vineyards. We keep some compost on site and the rest is shared back to our community partners. Each year, we can produce between 800-1,400 cubic meters of compost. We are proud to share in this program with other local wineries and businesses in our community, forming partnerships and sharing in the positive environmental impacts.
As a proud Geelong Manufacturing Facility, we are constantly striving to continually become more sustainable. Read more about sustainability at IDL, like our local composting initiative with our Moorabool neighbours and our waste-minimizing packaging initiatives.