Crown Reduces Waste to Landfill 37%

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Crown 360 sustainabilityCrown Holdings has reduced the amount of waste it sends to landfill by 37 percent — 8,000 metric tons — against a 2007 baseline, according to the company’s 2015 sustainability report. The metal packaging products supplier has made a number of additional strides in managing its waste including a 9 percent increase of waste recycled per billion cans produced since 2007 and a 14 percent reduction in the amount of coatings used compared to 2007.

To enhance the sustainability of metal coating materials, which are currently derived from fossil-based feedstock, Crown has participated in a research project to explore the use and adoption of bio-derived coating technologies since 2011.

Across the reporting period, greenhouse gas emissions per standard unit remain largely flat. Crown’s direct GHG emissions have decreased by 9 percent since 2007, while indirect GHG emissions increased 3.4 percent.

Among the company’s more significant efforts to reduce its carbon footprint is its SuperEnd beverage ends. The beverage ends use countersink geometry and reinforcing beads to reduce metal use and make beverage cans more environmentally friendly. Since introducing SuperEnd 15 years ago, Crown and its licensees have produced more than 500 billion SuperEnd beverage ends, saving an estimated 130,000 metric tons of aluminum, 2,200 metric tons of coatings and 1,000,000 metric tons of GHG.

Energy use per standard unit also remains largely flat. Continued improvements to existing facilities have been offset by new capacity additions, the company noted, adding that new capacity is generally less energy efficient during the initial commercialization phases.

Similar to its 2013 sustainability report, Crown's 2015 sustainability report did not address water consumption.

Environment + Energy Leader