EarthTalk – What are tequila's eco-footprints?

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Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss

Dear EarthTalk:
What are the environmental impacts of the fast-growing tequila industry?
Marcus Emilio, Albany, NY

For centuries, tequila has been a prominent symbol of Mexico, not only having originated there but also being consumed on Día de Muertos, the Day of the Dead, annually. In the late 19th century, tequila, which is primarily grown in Jalisco, Mexico, was branded for the global market. Over the past 25 years, the production and exporting of tequila have increased alongside its rise in global popularity.

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The process of tequila begins with harvesting and classifying blue agave plants, which are then stripped of their leaves, base, and tips. After the agave core is cooked, the plants’ juices are extracted and mixed with yeast, kickstarting the process of alcoholic fermentation. Following, the liquid is distilled at least twice to purify by separating the alcohol from the water, increasing the alcoholic concentration. Then, the liquid is filtered and often aged in barrels before being bottled and corked.

While the tequila production process is streamlined, there are still significant environmental impacts, especially in terms of emissions. In the receiving phase, agave agriculture accounts for 99% of emissions due to fossil fuels, herbicides, and the addition of chemical nutrients. The conversion into juice results in 40% of the plant as bagasse, a fibrous material leftover after juice extraction. As a result, the juicing process creates nearly 350,000 tons of bagasse annually in the Jalisco region alone. Not to mention the illegal dumping of bagasse into waterways, polluting waters and harming aquatic life. In addition, much of the waste is burned, releasing matter and carbon monoxide, or thrown into landfills, which generates methane.

In terms of water use, cooking is among the steps using the greatest amounts of water due to the need to steam and soften the agave hearts. To condense and separate the alcohol from the rest of the liquid, lots of water is used in the distillation steps of tequila production. Additionally, the bottling of tequila consumes water both in its production and cleaning processes.

To minimize the environmental impact of tequila production, Ramón González, Director of the Tequila Regulatory Council, advises, “In the coming years, every agave beverage will have to demonstrate that its productive chain is free of deforestation, with a focus on emissions reduction.”

Other methods include increasing recycling of glass tequila bottles and reusing water to reduce water usage, especially in distillation and cooking processes. The transformation of bagasse to methanol or biogas via fermentation or anaerobic digestion. The bagasse can become animal food thanks to its high lignin content, be made into adobe bricks, or be composted after being shredded and stripped of its moisture. A long-term improvement is more efficient technology and the use of clean energy throughout the entire tequila production process. However, financial investment may create initial challenges for the industry.