Most people know PepsiCo for household snacks and soda, but the brand is also making headlines for its sustainability changes, good and bad.
On the good news end, Engineering News reported that the company has launched new technology at its Isando facility in Gauteng, South Africa: an on-site anaerobic digestion plant that transforms 30 tons of food waste into biogas daily, which then supplies up to 30% of the facility's energy needs.
Once the site's renewable energy plan is fully in place, the plant will be able to meet its peak daytime energy demand by combining its 800 kW anaerobic digester with 1.7 MW of solar power, per the publication.
These developments demonstrate how PepsiCo can move away from its reliance on nonrenewable resources and how industrial food production can evolve in a world where consumers support sustainable initiatives from major brands and corporations.
PepsiCo's nearly $42 million investment also includes the PC50 Flex Line, which boosts chip production capacity by 29% and adds 103 direct jobs, per Engineering News. Plant lead Eskins Mabiginye emphasized the company's need to consider the investment, socioeconomic impact, and sustainability.
"As we improve the technology, we have to also to make sure we consider those three aspects," he said during a media tour. The company described its sustainability developments at the facility as "cutting-edge."
While PepsiCo's development of more sustainable energy sources for manufacturing plants is certainly a step forward, the company remains one of the world's highest producers of plastic waste, per a study in the journal Science Advances.
The company is also the subject of a recent legal complaint filed by Plastic Pollution Coalition, which states it made misleading claims about its environmental practices.
"The facts are: Plastic pollutes water and our bodies, plastic is unhealthy for people and the planet, and recycling cannot solve the plastic pollution crisis," said Julia Cohen, co-founder and managing director of Plastic Pollution Coalition.
PepsiCo's sustainability enhancements in South Africa also follow the company's postponement of sustainability and reusable packaging deadlines, part of a growing trend among corporations that have backtracked on previous commitments.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
