Commitment to Sustainability
As global communities express growing concerns about climate change, energy use, and carbon emissions, Sirromet Winery is proud to share our ongoing efforts to make a positive environmental impact. From the moment we opened our doors, we have been committed to leading the way in environmentally sustainable wine production. Our focus is on minimizing our carbon footprint, reducing and recycling waste, and conserving water and energy. We are continually refining our processes to ensure we remain as sustainable and environmentally accountable as possible.
Waste Recycling
Hi, I’m Risko Isic. In 2017, Sirromet installed a state-of-the-art, fully computerized waste treatment facility on-site. This facility processes 50,000 liters of waste per day and has a holding capacity of 350,000 liters. Annually, it handles 58,000 liters of old sludge, which is directed to drying beds that evaporate 85% of the waste into the atmosphere, with the remaining portion sent to our worm farm. Our wastewater plant treats and reuses approximately 7.6 million liters of water each year, which we then use to irrigate the plants and vines across our property.
Eco-Friendly Farming
Our on-site worm farm not only treats carbon-based waste from the dry sludge but also processes 150 tonnes of grape skins and stems, as well as all organic waste from our restaurants annually. Our dedication to the “reduce, reuse, recycle” philosophy extends to the packaging and consumables used on-site. All cardboard and paper are separated from general waste and processed in our worm farm, ultimately producing high-quality compost for use throughout the property.
Responsible Water Usage
One of our key achievements has been significantly reducing our reliance on mains water. We collect and process rainwater for both potable and grey water uses. By closely monitoring and reducing water consumption and recycling wastewater, we minimize our environmental impact. Rainwater collected from the roofs of our main buildings is stored in tanks, filtered, disinfected, and then mixed with mains water to ensure drinking quality. We only revert to 100% mains water when rainwater supplies are low.
Innovative Product Design
While our wine bottles and packaging are recyclable, we are proud to be among the first wineries in Australia to offer a range of wines in PET plastic bottles. These bottles look like glass but generate far less CO2 during manufacture and require less energy to recycle. They are also lighter than glass, reducing transport weight and energy consumption.
Energy Conservation
Our winery is powered by 800 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels across two buildings, generating 200 kW of solar power—enough to power 50 households and reduce our annual carbon footprint by over 400 tonnes. The system includes 11 inverters that can adjust to control power supply. Additionally, our co-generation system in the winery’s fridge plant circulates 30,000 liters of 55°C hot water back into the feed of the gas water boilers. We have also implemented temperature-saving designs, such as double concrete thickness flooring and air tunnels in the storage building, to maintain optimal temperatures.
Wildlife Management and Conservation
Much of our beautiful property is preserved as natural bushland, home to a variety of local wildlife including native birds, wallabies, possums, and reptiles. We use many native plants in the formal landscaping around developed areas and are committed to maintaining tree cover on-site. Approximately 900 new native plants were recently planted around our new on-site accommodation, Sanctuary by Sirromet, providing water-saving benefits and vital habitat for local wildlife.
Looking to the Future
As we look to the future of wine production, we are beginning to adopt Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), which is gaining popularity in Australia. By developing carbon labeling, we aim to show consumers what Sirromet is doing to help save the environment. This labeling will detail the full life cycle of a bottle of wine's production and express the carbon dioxide equivalents in grams per liter.
I’m Risko Isic, CEO of Sirromet Winery. We are dedicated to sustainability and innovation, ensuring that our winery remains a leader in environmentally responsible wine production. Thank you for supporting our journey.
