As our whisky industry relies on Scotland’s clean environment for the main ingredients of its produce, it is little wonder that it finds itself as the focus of some of the most innovative waste reduction ideas.

Distill or sparkling?

This week, Edinburgh Napier University announced that it has developed whisky petrol for cars.

Fear not though, you won’t be expected to share your favourite tipple with your family saloon. As always, the drinks cabinet will remain tightly shut when you get behind the wheel.

Rather, this biofuel is made entirely from whisky by-products known as “pot ale”, the liquid from the copper stills, and “draff”, the spent grains.

Each year the whisky industry produces 1,600 million litres of pot ale and 187,000 tonnes of draff.

Director of the biofuel research centre at Edinburgh Napier University, Professor Martin Tangney, said: “The EU has declared that biofuels should account for 10% of total fuel sales by 2020. We’re committed to finding new, innovative renewable energy sources.

“While some energy companies are growing crops specifically to generate biofuel, we are investigating excess materials such as whisky by-products to develop them.”

The university is taking steps to make the fuel available at the pumps.

This news comes hot on the heels of the headline-grabbing release of whisky barrel flooring.

The Scotch whisky industry realised it needed an eco-friendly solution to disposing of old barrels, instead of merely consigning them to landfill. An independent wood flooring company, stepped in with an answer.

The ability to engineer a way to make flat boards out of these beautiful oak barrels has made possible this resourceful whisky barrel flooring.

Whisky barrel flooring has sparked lots of interest with enquiries from whisky-lovers and interior designers from as far afield as the United States and Russia.

Could the whisky industry be on track to become the first truly zero waste industry?

Feel inspired? Zero Waste Scotland’s campaigns can help you make small changes that will significantly reduce your waste.

Real dragons live in lairs

Or maybe we’ll see you in front of the Dragons with the next big thing!