Every year on April 22nd, Earth Day is celebrated in the U.S. This day marks the anniversary of the environmental movement, which began when a Wisconsin Senator created a national celebration to bring awareness to the deterioration of the environment. On April 22, 1970, twenty million Americans across the country demonstrated and voiced their concerns, ultimately leading to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in December of that year. Within 10 years from the first Earth Day, many important pieces of legislation were enacted that not only protect the environment but also human health, such as the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act.
This year, 54 years since the first Earth Day, the theme is Planet vs. Plastics. This theme is meant to highlight the impacts of plastic pollution on humans, animals, and environmental health, to promote innovation and more reusable options, and to campaign for a 60% reduction in plastics by 2040.
The dairy industry has been using the widely accepted plastic milk jug since the 1960s and the plastic-coated paper milk carton since the 1930s. Today, more than 75% of all dairy packaging is comprised of plastic. Plastic packaging has allowed for flexibility, strength, stability, and ease of sterilization, while also not affecting the taste or quality of the dairy products. In fact, it has assisted in the increased shelf life for dairy products by providing a strong barrier against physical damage, microbial contamination, and in some cases flavor and odor damage from UV light exposure.
Although it has been proven that plastic makes great product-contact packaging, we all know that action needs to be taken to avoid the projected increases that could lead to more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans. Upstate Niagara is committed to continuously lessening our contribution to the world’s plastic pollution by exploring packaging innovations, using recyclable materials, and recycling in our plants and offices.
By working with innovative packaging suppliers who modified yogurt cup production, Upstate Niagara was able to avoid using over 14,000 pounds of resin material in one year. We are also evaluating our recycling processes to ensure that any recyclable materials that are brought into the plants, are properly recycled. In the past 2 years, we have been able to recycle and prevent the pollution of nearly 1.8 million pounds of plastic materials in our processing plants. Additionally, Upstate Niagara’s corporate office installed water bottle filling stations throughout the building, encouraging employees to ditch single use plastic bottles and opt for reusable cups or bottles. Within the first year, the office has avoided the use of over 10,000 plastic bottles.
We are proud of the efforts of our employees who are doing their part to combat plastic pollution through the materials purchased, prioritizing recycling, and choosing reusable options where they can. These efforts are just the beginning, and we are committed to making continuous improvements over the years.
