Smithfield Foods recently
announced plans to join the Chicago Climate Exchange, the world’s first
and North America’s only greenhouse gas emissions reduction registry
and trading program.
Smithfield Foods recently announced plans to join the Chicago Climate Exchange, the world’s first and North America’s only greenhouse gas emissions reduction registry and trading program. By joining CCX, Smithfield Foods has committed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in the US by a minimum of six percent by 2010.
“Our commitment to the Chicago Climate Exchange provides us with a tremendous opportunity to have a long-lasting, positive impact on the environment by further reducing our environmental footprint,” says Dennis Treacy, vice-president of environmental and corporate affairs at Smithfield Foods.
As a result of various energy conservation projects at a number of Smithfield Foods companies across the nation, Smithfield estimates that in 2006 it saved 54.7 million cubic feet of natural gas, 5.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 4.8 million gallons of diesel fuel.
“We’re very proud that Smithfield Foods is well on the way to achieving its commitment to the Chicago Climate Exchange of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of six percent by 2010,” said Doug Anderson, president and chief operating officer of Smithfield BioEnergy. “All of us are committed to working very hard to reach the 2010 goal.”
Smithfield BioEnergy researches, creates and implements bioenergy projects on behalf of Smithfield Foods and its independent operating companies. These projects include taking wastewater and manure from their hog production facilities and, through the anaerobic digestion process, capturing the methane from the resulting biogas. The methane is then used to supply heat for the company’s facilities and processing operations.
