According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), "The food industry is now facing increasing pressure to ensure that their... activities are environmentally sensitive, but there is also increased internal pressure to maintain or increase profitability in the face of fierce competition. The food-processing industry has special concerns about the health and safety of the consumer... Key resources used by the food-processing industry include water, raw materials and energy... [these have become] the principle targets for pollution prevention, source reduction practices."

In 2017 and 2018, NEWMOA convened food processors through needs assessments, training, and information sharing in order to help this sector to implement P2 opportunities in the northeast. Key sustainable and P2 practices available to food manufacturers include:

• Water conservation
• Energy efficiency
• Sustainable packaging
• Leak detection and repair procedures in refrigeration
• Safer refrigerants
• Alternative cleaning and sanitizing processes and chemistries
• Advanced wastewater treatment practices

NEWMOA partnered with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC) Pollution Prevention Division to sponsor a Sustainability Summit for processors of secondary dairy products (e.g., cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream) in 2018.

This Project was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx).

For more information, contact Andy Bray at abray@newmoa.org.