  |
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 2, 1999
99-230
Contact: Sandy Howard, Public Information Manager, 360-407-6239
OLYMPIA - Snack-food manufacturer Frito-Lay, Inc. of Vancouver will be honored today with Washington state's highest environmental award, the Environmental Excellence Award.
The award is issued by the state Department of Ecology to individuals, companies or organizations for exhibiting a special commitment to cleaning and protecting the environment.
Ecology will present the award during a noon ceremony at the Northwest Environmental Conference at the DoubleTree Hotel, 909 North Hayden Island Dr., in Portland, Ore.
"Frito-Lay's Vancouver facility has discovered innovative ways to recycle much of its waste - and even sell its waste products," said Dan Silver, Ecology's deputy director. "Their accomplishments are leading-edge examples that environmental protections and profitability do go hand in hand."
In accepting the award, Martin Mock, Frito-Lay's technology manager, said, "Environmental responsibility is part of making quality products for our consumers. By engaging our employees and partnering with our community, we have seen several success stories through our recycle and awareness programs."
Last year, Frito-Lay earned $387,000 from selling recyclables and saved more than $1 million in waste-disposal costs.
The company sold and recycled nearly 7,000 tons of sludge to use as filler in cattle feed; recycled more than a dozen kinds of solid waste, ranging from plastic slip sheets and baling twine to pallets and stretch wrap; and recycled more than 2.3 million pounds of cardboard. The company also reduced the amount of hazardous wastes it disposed, from 17,000 pounds in 1993 to fewer than 2,200 pounds in 1998.
In addition, the facility has a "Green Team" that develops and uses pollution-prevention alternatives. The team educates and informs employees about air, water and waste issues and has sponsored Earth Day events to improve environmental stewardship in Clark County.
More than 600 people are employed at the Vancouver facility. Frito-Lay's headquarters are in Plano, Texas. The company is the $11 billion snack-food division of PepsiCo, Inc.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
