Kellogg's increased its normalized waste to landfill by 13 percent last year, putting the cereal company behind schedule to meet its 2015 goal on waste reduction despite reaching that target in 2010, according to the company's sustainability report.
Kellogg has a goal to reduce waste to landfill per metric ton of food produced by 20 percent by 2015, compared to a 2009 baseline. The company had achieved that goal by 2010, but then waste production increased in both absolute terms and when rationalized against production levels during 2011. As a result, by the end of 2011, the company had reduced waste sent to landfill by 9 percent per metric ton of food produced compared to the 2009 baseline, putting the company behind schedule on meeting its goal, according to the its 2011 sustainability report.
The company sent 21,020 metric tons of waste to landfill in 2011, up from 19,210 in 2010. Rationalized against its food production the rate increased from 0.008 metric tons of waste per metric ton of production in 2010 to 0.009 in 2011.
From 2010 to 2011 Kellogg's total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions dropped 3.7 percent and 5.1 percent respectively. In 2011 Kellogg used 12.59 million Gj of energy and emitted 1.11 million metric tons of greenhouse gas, down from 13.07 million Gj energy use and 1.17 million metric tons of greenhouse gas in 2010.
But when rationalized against production theses metrics stayed almost flat over that time period. Kellogg posted a decline in internal operating profit of three percent in 2011, according to the company's 2011 annual report.
In 2010 the company used 5.29 Gj of energy per metric ton of food produced, and in 2011 this figured declined marginally to 5.28 Gj. In both 2010 and 2011, the company emitted 0.47 metric tons of greenhouse gas for every metric ton of food it produced.
Kellogg attributed the stagnation to changes in its plant cleaning processes, which it revised to target enhanced food quality and safety systems, as well as changes in production volumes.
The company is targeting a 15 to 20 percent reduction in its energy use and emissions per metric ton of production from 2005 to 2015. Since 2005, Kellogg's GHG emissions and energy use per metric ton of food production have dropped 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Kellogg's says it is on track to meet its greenhouse gas goal but slightly lagging in progress on its energy target.
The company's Battle Creek, Mich., plant reduced its absolute energy consumption by 19 percent in 2011, due to energy-efficiency projects such as the installation of a variable-speed chiller. The reductions saved the plant $1.5 million in energy costs.
Kellogg is targeting a 15 to 20 percent cut in its water use per metric ton of production from 2005 to 2015. From 2010 to 2011 its water use per metric ton or production rose by about 1 percent (see graph below).
Its total water use fell from 12.53 million cubic meters in 2010 to 12.22 million cubic meters in 2011. Since 2005, Kelogg's water use per metric ton of food produced is down 13 percent. As such, the company says it is still on target to meet its 2015 goal, despite the 2011 rise.
The rise is partially the result of changes in cleaning practices in Kellogg's manufacturing plants. The company says it is assessing the impacts of those practices, and looking for other ways to reduce water use. Low-flow faucets, improved management of steam and water leaks, and a change in cleaning practices in the packaging area all contributed to the long-term reduction in water use.
In terms of individual case studies, there have been some successes. Kellogg's Omaha, Neb., facility reduced its absolute water use 24 percent from 2010 to 2011, which equates to a 16 percent decrease in water used per metric ton of food produced.
Kellogg was named as one of the U.S.'s ten companies most respected by consumers in a report by Ethisphere released earlier this month.
