Source: Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Smithfield Foods has marked a significant step towards its zero-waste-to-landfill goal across all of the company's North Carolina processing facilities. With support from its newest partner, Waste Connections, the project is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a food company and waste services provider.

The project will create a recycling facility that processes materials specifically from food production facilities. This project is part of Smithfield’s companywide sustainability initiative to reduce solid waste to landfills 10% by 2020 across all locations and its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2025 throughout its supply chain.

“At Smithfield, we are the first major protein company to make a significant GHG reduction commitment and are forging innovative new partnerships to help us get there,” says Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods. “This project is especially exciting because our employees are banding together across facilities in North Carolina, working as a team to make meaningful progress toward our sustainability goals in the state. From zero-waste-to-landfill to GHG reductions, they are making sure we continue to lead our industry.”

Waste Connections, a third-party integrated waste services company that provides waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services of solid waste, will increase Smithfield’s savings in rebate value of recycled materials through its specialized recycling facility in Clinton, N.C. Waste Connections’ investment in the recycling facility will play a major role in assisting Smithfield’s Tar Heel, Clinton, Wilson and Kinston locations in reaching their environmental target of eliminating waste to landfills.

“We are proud to partner with a company recognized for its industry leadership in sustainability,” says David Hall, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Waste Connections. “Smithfield’s companywide stewardship allows for great strides to be made to benefit the environment, and we are looking forward to assisting its North Carolina facilities in achieving their zero-waste-to-landfill goal in the near future.”