By the end of this year, all chlorine-based detergents are set to be removed from both farms and milk processing sites.

This comes after food safety concerns around chlorine residues – such as trichloromethane (TCM) and chlorate – meaning it is increasingly difficult to hit the required dairy product specifications, when chlorine-based products are used to wash milking equipment at farm level and at milk processing sites.

To start your chlorine-free journey, Ornua is suggesting that farmers first change to a chlorine-free wash routine for their bulk tank(s).

According to Teagasc, switching to chlorine free requires more than just changing the product being used.

When using non-chlorine products in your machine wash routine, more hot water will have to be used, more caustic-based powders, more hot acid washes and no more recycling of the product.

Peracetic acid can also be used in an additional rinse as an alternative disinfectant to chlorine, if needs be.