Pacific Foods

Balancing Environmental Responsibility with Day-To-Day Operations

Environmental responsibilities primarily revolve around permit and process compliance related to stormwater, wastewater discharge, electric and natural gas usage, and waste disposal, including hazardous waste. These requirements become part of day-to-day operations for all employees.

Detailed training by each department's front-line leadership is critical to maintaining permit compliance while meeting food production goals. Regular weekly and monthly follow-up with department leadership, training schedules, SOP reviews, and audit preparation help integrate environmental responsibilities into employees' daily routines.

Finding opportunities to Reduce Waste, Energy Use and Environmental Impact

In food manufacturing, there are three primary areas of focus that can have the greatest impact on reducing waste and energy usage:

1. Water, Air and Steam Management – Find and repair equipment and transfer-line leaks at least twice per year, quarterly is better, as part of equipment PMs. Failure to do so wastes energy through constant use and recharge of the lines and increases water and power costs that can be avoided through consistent maintenance.

2. Effective Recycling Partners – Our company used a national recycling management company to identify material-specific recycling partners in our area and surrounding states. These partners helped reduce the amount of packaging and food waste sent to landfills each fiscal year. For example, properly prepared 55-gallon steel and plastic drums provided recycling credits, while soy/okara waste was sent to a company that incorporated it into animal feed.

3. Wastewater Material Management – Maintaining wastewater pretreatment, post-treatment, and waste slurry/concentrate systems is important because it reduces chemical refill costs, improves POTW and regulatory discharge management, and helps avoid unnecessary audits, fees, or penalties related to poor management or permit violations.

“It’s easier to improve processes and keep people and the environment safe when environmental stewardship is already part of the company's operating culture.”

For example, we partnered with Farm Power in Tillamook, OR, which used our wastewater sludge/slurry to feed two anaerobic digesters that generated power through methane capture.

Turning Sustainability Goals into Measurable Improvements

In my experience, environmental responsibilities are part of the EHS team. Training and stakeholder "buy-in," extending to executive and corporate leadership, are key. Department leaders working together to develop and update SOPs, JSAs and other day-to-day workflows improves processes while making environmental responsibilities part of employees' standard job duties.

Oncoming Environmental Challenges Impacting Food and Beverage Manufacturers

Energy and resource conservation will have a significant impact. In my experience, large amounts of water, energy and material waste could have been avoided through routine preventive maintenance of equipment and transfer lines.

Strong recycling partnerships and improved recycling capabilities and incentives will also be important. Without local and federal financial assistance to build, support, and improve nationwide recycling infrastructure, costs may remain higher for food production companies, with those costs often passed on to consumers.

A Meaningful Career Path in Environmental Management

New professionals should focus on waste management and learn the basics of local and federal permit compliance for water, electric, natural gas usage, air quality and hazardous materials.

Most importantly, find a company that aligns with your values! It’s easier to improve processes and keep people and the environment safe when environmental stewardship is already part of the company's operating culture. Help coworkers understand the value of meaningful environmental stewardship through training and consistent communication, and they will be more likely to make it part of their regular daily job duties.