Danone North America, a food and beverage leader with a diverse portfolio of dairy and plant-based brands, announced its goal to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill across all North American company facilities by 2025. The goal, which has already been achieved by 15% of its manufacturing facilities, sets a new company standard for recycling and waste reduction through updated processes and increased education.
"As one of the world's largest Certified B Corporations and a market leader in yogurt, plant-based, premium dairy, and coffee creamers, embracing our responsibility to support a more sustainable world is pivotal,” said Sherri Livengood, director of environmental affairs at Danone North America. “The Zero Waste to Landfill goal creates a bridge to our company's existing One Planet. One Health frame of action, which includes our commitment to reducing food loss and waste in our U.S. operations by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050."
Zero Waste to Landfill is achieved when at least 99% of waste generated throughout the manufacturing process is diverted from landfills. As a result, waste produced throughout food and beverage production, including handling, storage, processing, packaging, and distribution, is reused, upcycled, recycled, composted, or sent for energy recovery. By working with third-party partners like Veolia ESS and with local organizations, including ShurGreen Farms, Langdon and Sons, Wasatch Resource Recovery and EBI Montreal, the company is bringing forth innovative solutions to divert waste from landfill to instead be reused, recycled, or composted.
"When our plant achieved Zero Waste to Landfill in 2020, the full force of our facility and local community came together to support a culture of waste reduction and redistribution," said Elizabeth Masteller, environment Hhalth & safety manager at Danone North America's Minster, Ohio plant, which produces popular yogurt brands including Activia, Danimals®, and Oikos. "In 2021 alone, we sent more than 2,500 tons of waste to ShurGreen Farms to be transformed into renewable energy, crop nutrition, and animal feed, while repurposing product packaging. This is an eye-opening amount of waste diverted from landfills, and a further step in our company's One Planet. One Health frame of action."
In 2020, only 4.8% of Danone North America's waste was sent to landfills across its company facilities. When Zero Waste to Landfill status is fully achieved by 2025, just 1% or less will be sent to landfills.
About Danone North America
Danone North America is a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. As a Certified B Corporation, Danone North America is committed to the creation of both economic and social value, while nurturing natural ecosystems through sustainable agriculture. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Happy Family Organics, Honest to Goodness, Horizon Organic, International Delight, Light + Fit, Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STōK, Two Good, Wallaby Organic and YoCrunch. With more than 6,000 employees and 16 production locations across the U.S. and Canada, Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.
