The seal meets the company’s product requirements, and will reportedly spare the land filling of more than 270 tons of plastic annually. After adding back the waste from the foil lids, a net reduction of 6%, or 106 tons, of solid waste will be achieved within the first year, says Stonyfield.
"As a business and a corporate citizen, it is our responsibility to take care of the environment," says Gary Hirshberg, president and CEO of Stonyfield Farm. "The good news is that it is profitable to do so."
To help make the transition, Stonyfield worked with the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems. The group helped Stonyfield identify ways to improve the environmental attributes of its packaging. The foil closure was also chosen because it met all the company’s needs regarding product quality attributes.
The yogurt producer claims the switch to a foil closure will reduce its energy usage by16% and water consumption by 13%. Information about Stonyfield Farm products and environmental initiatives will continue to be printed on the lids, particularly information regarding the company’s switch from plastic lids to the foil closure.
More information is available on the company’s Web site at http://www.stonyfield.com. --ALR
