1999 CERES report

Section 8:

Emissions & Wastes

ELECTRICITY AND FUEL USE
All electricity used in Ben & Jerry’s production facilities is purchased (vs. co-generated and self-generated). Our Water-bury plant uses fuel oil, Springfield uses fuel oil and liquid propane, and St. Albans uses natural gas. At the bottom of this page is a table measuring and comparing our electricity and fuel use in our manufacturing processes for all three plants.

Air Pollutants

Ben & Jerry’s realizes the detrimental environmental effects of the ozone-depleting chemicals that are associated with our manufacturing processes. The company is continuously looking into ways to reduce and eliminate its use.

During 1999 we began to research new and emerging alternative refrigeration technologies. The company uses anhydrous ammonia and propylene glycol freezing systems in the manufacturing plants and the Distribution Center. These systems contain no CFCs or other ozone-depleting chemicals. The plants are also phasing in the use of propylene glycol in air conditioning systems. This process is complete at the St. Albans plant.

The freezer “dip-cases” used in scoop shops do contain CFCs. Some older models still contain R-12, which is being phased out. These models are being replaced with R-22 units. Some of the freezers that Vermont’s Finest in convenience stores still contain R-12, but they are being replaced with 134-A units that contain an HCFC with lesser ozone-depleting qualities.

Except for a few of our Vermont’s Finest trucks which have diesel cooling systems using freon R-502, most contain the newer cold plate technology which is charged electrically, cutting down on diesel emissions. The cold plates also contain the newer freon, R-404A, which has lesser ozone-depleting qualities.

Ben & Jerry’s produces no significant amounts of TRI-type pollutants, or other criteria air pollutants in our manufacturing processes. Greenhouse gas sources are associated with the fuels we use to either operate the facilities or on the trucks that move our product. We have not measured these total emissions. The St. Albans and Waterbury plants do not have the pollution potential to require air permits. Our Springfield plant is required by the Clean Air Act to have a permit because it is a retrofitted facility capable of producing more than 10 tons of air pollutants. Since our operations will never produce that many pollutants, we have an opt-out permit for Springfield, stating that the site will not emit pollutants to its design potential.

Distribution

Manufacturing in Vermont requires extensive shipping of our products to market. It is an energy intensive process. We have investigated alternatives in order to reduce the emissions of our Vermont’s Finest distribution truck-fleet, but have limited influence over out-of-state haulers. The company experimented with cross-country shipping by train, a more environmentally friendly and less expensive alternative, but the transporters could not resolve serious temperature fluctuations in the railcars, which resulted in damage to our frozen products. However, we have begun to successfully utilize rail transport for shipments to Japan, primarily rail-routes between Montreal and Vancouver.

The distribution staff concluded that diesel is the most sensible fuel for Vermont’s Finest trucks at this time. Electric or propane motors provide insufficient power to pull loaded trucks over Vermont’s hills and mountains. In order to make up for our use of diesel, we have focused instead on maximizing the energy efficiency of our fleet through intensive maintenance (tuning, tire pressure, etc.) and improving our driving routes. In the meantime the company continues to investigate alternative fuel options.

The following table details the estimated emissions of our Vermont’s Finest trucks (light-duty diesel) and our heavy-duty diesel tractor-trailers that shuttle between the Distribution Center and our other Vermont sites:

Emissions & Wastes

DEFINITIONS
According to Ben & Jerry’s Hazardous Waste Policy, “Hazardous Waste” means any solid or combination of solid waste, which meets EPA’s definition. The complete definition is found in the State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Waste Management Regulations. The basic definition includes, but is not limited to the following:

Characteristic waste, which includes Ignitability, Corrosivity, Reactivity or Toxicity.

Listed waste.

Any mixture of solid waste and hazardous waste.

POLICIES
Following are some of Ben & Jerry’s hazardous waste policies:

Any hazardous waste that is generated and cannot be recycled must be incinerated at a hazardous waste incinerator. Clean Harbors of Braintree, MA is our certified hauler that ensures that all our hazardous waste is managed properly. A certificate of destruction is obtained from every shipment.

As was begun in 1997, all our waste oils that are not contaminated by hazardous waste are re-refined (recycled) by a certified handler. We manage our waste oil through Safety-Kleen of Chicago.

In our Contractor’s Handbook we outline in detail the protocol for hazardous spills at our sites. All spills must be immediately reported to the Project Manager and the Environmental Coordinator.

HAZARDOUS WASTE PRODUCTION
Given the small amount of hazardous material the company generates, Ben & Jerry’s is considered a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG). This means that we do not generate greater than 220 lbs. of hazardous waste or 2.2 lbs. of acutely hazardous waste on a monthly basis. The hazardous waste generated at Ben & Jerry’s facilities consists almost entirely of waste oil and water from maintaining boilers and compressors. The State of Vermont regulates waste oil as a hazardous waste unless it is recycled. Following is a table of the hazardous waste produced by Ben & Jerry’s along with waste oil amounts recycled:

Solid Waste

In 1996, Ben & Jerry’s established annual solid waste reduction goals of 10% at each of the company’s production facilities. These formal goals refer to the normalized solid waste production values:

RECYCLING
Ben & Jerry’s has recycled approximately 50% of the solid waste stream over the past three years. In 1999, just over half of Ben & Jerry’s solid waste stream was diverted from the landfill and incinerator. In addition, the company’s recycling efforts earned roughly $68,000. The following chart shows the breakdown for waste diversion for 1997, 1998 and 1999:

High Strength Dairy Waste

There is always product waste associated with the company’s manufacturing processes. This waste contains sugar, cream, eggs, flavorings and add-in ingredients, all mixed with water (typically, product waste contains approximately 75% water). Waste product occurs in a variety of ways:

Through the cleaning process associated with flavor changes on production lines.

At the start/stop of production runs.

When formulation errors occur.

When there is production rejection.

From spillage on factory floor.

As a result of testing new flavors or equipment.

The company views high-strength dairy waste as having one of the greatest environmental impacts. This waste can have dramatic effects on aquatic environments in particular. It has a high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), meaning that as bacteria break it down, the waste literally robs dissolved oxygen from waterways. Obviously this can have a disastrous effect on aquatic life. The three manufacturing plants have various options for managing product waste:

Shipping it to a permitted composting facility to be turned into fertilizer for landscaping, farms and home gardens.

Storing it in permitted manure pits for use as fertilizer.

Giving it to farmers as animal feed.

REDUCTION GOALS
The company sets annual dairy waste reduction goals. Reduction in this area not only has environmental significance, but also substantially improves profits. Ben & Jerry’s achieved its company-wide objectives for reduction in dairy waste and solid waste in 1999:

While there were no specific water reduction goals set for our manufacturing facilities during 1999, Ben & Jerry’s understands the need for water conservation. Water reduction teams are scheduled to become active at each of the manufacturing sites in 2000.

ADDITIONAL COMPOSTING
Each year Ben & Jerry’s hosts a One World One Heart Festival at Sugarbush, Vermont. This free, music-based event draws a large crowd. As a result, there is the potential for substantial trash generation. Over the last three years, composting has been added to our recycling stations to divert as much of this waste as possible from landfills. Not only has this been important in reducing the environmental impacts, but the process also provides an educational opportunity for festival-goers.

All of our manufacturing facilities located in Vermont use composting as the major management option for their dairy waste. Ben & Jerry’s manufacturing composted 66% of its dairy waste in 1999. In addition, our Central Support office site diverted over 6 tons (of kitchen waste and research lab waste) from its solid waste stream in 1999 by composting. The company uses two composting facilities in the state of Vermont: the Intervale Composting Facility located in Burlington, Vermont, and the Vermont Composting Company located in Montpelier, Vermont.

Section 9:

Compliance

In 1997 there were no compliance issues, occurrences or penalties.

In 1998 there were no compliance issues, occurrences or penalties.

In 1999 there were no compliance issues, occurrences or penalties.

Ben & Jerry’s has never been issued any penalties from Federal Regulators.

Ben & Jerry’s considers all releases to the environment to be significant, whether they are chemical, oil or any of our ingredients. All releases are reported to the site Environmental Coordinator and the Manager of Natural Resources Use.