Oklahoma City, USA – December 4, 2014: Plant workers talk in front of food waste composting area at NPPC Oklahoma City, which produces dry pet food.
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, which has operations in Oklahoma City, is committed to continuous improvement towards sustainability in every step of its value chain. One of the company’s ambitions is to achieve zero waste to landfill in all facilities by 2020.
“As a pet care company, our mission is to enrich the lives of pets and the people who love them,” said Kris Bilbrey, Factory Manager for Purina’s Oklahoma City facility. “We do that by developing nutritious foods for pets, creating a lasting positive impact on communities and sustaining a healthy planet.”
With a group of 350 passionate associates behind the initiative, the Oklahoma City factory reached its 2020 zero waste to landfill goal several years early by focusing on three key areas: employee engagement; improving processes to minimize generation of waste; and partnerships with credible vendors for composting, recycling, energy recovery, and other forms of beneficial use.
Nestlé Purina’s vendor partners in Oklahoma City include Covanta, a world leader in providing sustainable waste and energy solutions (Tulsa); Republic Services, an industry leader in U.S. recycling and non-hazardous solid waste; and Minick Materials, the leading commercial composter in the state of Oklahoma.
Most of the factory’s waste is organic, and prior to establishing relationships with local composters, this material was being sent to the landfill. “Composting is a better solution for the environment and our factory,” Bilbrey said. Lenny Roland, Manager, Total Performance Management, adds,
“Our composting efforts are making a difference and ensuring sustainability for future generations.”