SunOpta Sustainability Programs:
We focus on a healthy products portfolio that promotes environmental responsibility and the health and well-being of communities. Our Group has completed several projects consistent with the Company’s stated objective of reducing its environmental footprint and promoting sustainable business practices.
SunOpta and Water Conservation
In 2007, we became one of the ten founding global corporations to endorse the United Nations CEO Water Mandate. Since signing on to the CEO Water Mandate, we have successfully completed a series of water conservation programs at our fiber plants in Minnesota, Kentucky and Iowa.
In 2010, we received the prestigious Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award from the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international not-for-profit technical and educational water quality organization. We earned the award by reducing water use by approximately 17 million gallons in a 12 month period and dramatically improving the water quality of wastewater discharge. These changes in water utilization also realized energy savings equivalent to at least 10 million cubic feet of natural gas. Modifications to the plant’s wastewater system also resulted in reduced generation of biosolids by 20% in year-over-year volume. In addition, for that same time frame, the other two fiber facilities collectively reduced water consumption at approximately 15% per manufactured unit over the prior 24 month usage rate.
SunOpta and Energy Recovery
Our Minnesota facility utilizes state-of–the-art, on-site, waste treatment processes that generate biogas (natural gas) as a by-product of oat fiber production. As part of an energy recovery initiative, the Minnesota fiber plant installed equipment to collect the biogas, convert it to pipeline quality and then utilize that gas in place of natural gas. This process significantly reduces the release of greenhouse gases and various waste materials from the facility.
SunOpta, Other Waste Reduction and Sustainability Projects:
- We locate our facilities close to the source of raw materials, which minimizes energy needed to transport the materials
- Our plants are also centrally located in the US, in close proximity to many of our customers
- Steam from incinerated trash powers our Fosston, Minnesota plant
- In our Iowa fiber facility we generate hot water from gas, rather than coal, resulting in a reduction of CO2 emissions
Read more about SunOpta Ingredients’ Sustainability Initiatives
