Sonoco outlines sustainability progress

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The Hartsville-based global packaging company said a key initiative is the development of a new $75 million biomass co-generation system at its Hartsville manufacturing complex. The boiler system will be fueled by wood wastes from regional logging activity to produce lower-cost steam and green energy.

Staff Report
Published July 27, 2012

Sonoco, the Hartsville-based global packaging company, said today in its 2011-2012 corporate responsibility report that the company continues to make progress in achieving its global sustainability targets.

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Sonoco said a key initiative for the company is the development of a new $75 million biomass co-generation system at its Hartsville manufacturing complex. The boiler system will be fueled by wood wastes from regional logging activity to produce lower-cost steam and green energy, primarily for use in the company's paper mill operations.

Once operational in late 2013, the biomass co-generation system is expected to significantly reduce energy costs, greenhouse gas and other air emissions, resulting in annual operating savings of approximately $14 million, the company said.

In 2011, Sonoco continued to expand U.S. recycling operations, increasing collections by 6% with an emphasis on developing new comingled residential material recovery facilities. The company now serves nearly 150 communities and expanded material recovery facilities in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville, as well as Charlotte, Raleigh and Jacksonville, N.C.

Other highlights from the report include:

• Sonoco reduced the environmental footprint of its global operations.
• Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 4.4% since 2009, moving toward the company's five-year carbon emission reduction goal of 15% by 2014.
• Water usage at Sonoco's global manufacturing operations was reduced by 7.2% since 2009, including a 5.1% reduction in 2011.
• In 2011, Sonoco Recycling started the Sustainability Star Award program to recognize customer- and Sonoco-owned facilities that have achieved significant milestones in waste stream reduction through recycling and other landfill mitigation efforts. A total of 12 plants received gold and silver awards for diverting up to 99% of those facilities' waste streams from landfills.
• The company met its goal of having five of its U.S. manufacturing plants achieve Star Award status by diverting at least 95% of their waste streams from landfill disposal through improved recycling efforts.

Download the full report at the sustainability section of Sonoco’s website.