Smithfield Foods' Crete, Neb.; Kinston, N.C.; and Sioux Falls, S.D. facilities have been recognized by The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies for their efforts in driving improved performance through sustainability and going beyond environmental compliance.

Smithfield's Crete facility was awarded first place in the Program category of ProFood World's annual Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards, applauded for its efforts in reducing solid waste by nearly 10 million pounds. Its Kinston facility was recognized with a second-place award in the Project category for its use of LED (light emitting diode) lighting to drive energy savings. The company's Sioux Falls facility was recognized as a third-place honoree in the Program category for water reduction efforts.

"Sustainability is at the core of our business operations. It drives everything we do," says Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods. "Our facilities' waste, water and energy saving efforts are a strong example of the ways in which our employees fuel innovation every day and are critical to helping us achieve our sustainability goals."

The first-place accolade awarded to the company's Crete facility is the result of a customer product specification request that caused a significant amount of solids from wastewater operations to be sent to landfill. The Crete team worked with a recycling provider to find a composting operation that would accept and process the high-volume waste stream. Completed in just three months, the project yields more than 9.6 million pounds of solid waste reduction per year. This innovative solution contributes to the company's commitment to reduce overall solid waste sent to landfills 75% by 2025.

Smithfield's second-place award recognized its Kinston facility for replacing high-energy-use high-intensity discharge lighting with LED lighting, driving down total kilowatt-hour usage. Benefits of LED lighting include reduced universal/hazardous waste disposal cost, reduced labor cost and greater lighting output. By making this switch, the Kinston team was able to save 161,880 kWh annually.

A third-place honor was given to Smithfield's Sioux Falls facility for its water reduction efforts, which resulted in reducing the need for city water in the facility by roughly 5.15 million gallons per year.

To learn more about these innovative projects visit PACK EXPO Connects. More information about Smithfield's industry leading sustainability program is available in the company's annual Sustainability Impact Report.

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