Leprino Foods Company’s Greeley Plant Honored with National Sustainability and Environmental Performance Award
Plant recognized as a “technologically advanced and environmentally friendly” dairy manufacturing facility
DENVER (June 23, 2020) – Leprino Foods Company recently received the 2020 Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Award from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. The award recognizes the plant for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving and producing electricity, improving water quality while being responsible stewards of precious and limited water resources, and minimizing solid wastes.
“We are thrilled to be recognized with this prestigious award from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy,” said Leprino Foods Company President, Mike Durkin. “Our commitment to sustainable operations allowed us to improve environmental performance while simultaneously reducing costs, enhancing worker safety, and benefiting the community,” he said.
Sustainability and environmental stewardship at the company’s Greeley plant began as soon as it purchased the abandoned sugar-processing factory in 2008. Over a decade later, the plant continues to empower and invest in sustainable solutions, including:
• Wastewater solids digester and biogas cogeneration engine reducing solids by 40% and providing 25% of the electricity to the treatment plan
• Energy savings of 5.5 million kWh per year from LED lighting, which equates to lighting nearly 500 homes for one year
• Dual combined heat & power (CHP) system reducing greenhouse gases significantly. The CHP provides 12 megawatts of onsite electricity generation resulting in a projected 10 percent companywide GHG footprint reduction
• Internal water reclamation and purification that maximizes efficient use. An additional 600,000 gallons of clean water is returned to the local river daily, enough to sustain approximately 2000 households
Leprino Foods’ facilities have continually earned accolades for best practices. In 2019, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment ‘s Environmental Leadership Program awarded Leprino’s Greeley plant with its 24-Karat Gold Award for its extraordinary commitment to protecting the environment.
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About Leprino Foods
Leprino Foods Company, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a global leader in the production of premium-quality cheese and dairy ingredients. Leprino Foods is the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the world and a leading manufacturer of lactose, whey protein and sweet whey. For more information, please visit www.leprinofoods.com.
About Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is a precompetitive forum founded by dairy farmers in 2008 and led by CEOs and farmer leaders of dairy cooperatives, companies and retailers representing more than 60% of the U.S. milk production, as well as CEOs from national associations representing dairy farmers and companies. The goal: bringing together leaders and experts from across the dairy community to align on category-wide priorities and best practices and to advance a shared social responsibility platform. Please visit www.usdairy.com/about-us/innovation-center.