Environmental Aspects

Environmental Aspects

The following description presents the significant direct and indirect environmental aspects which play an important role in Eckes-Granini Finland Oy Ab’s environmental management system. The environmental impacts attributed to the aspects may be either detrimental or beneficial.

Utilities

Electricity, steam, district heating and water are supplied by local service providers. Utilities consumption is continuously monitored and there is a rapid response to changes in consumption. The company uses the best economically feasible technology and know-how so that the environmental impacts caused by production can be minimized. In addition, we are involved in the voluntary energy efficiency agreement system coordinated by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

Due to the process extension, utility consumption has gone up in recent years. However, we have found good new opportunities to reduce energy consumption: for instance, by reutilizing the water that is used to cool the cold chain products produced. These improvements are being implemented as part of the energy efficiency agreement measures. Moreover, a significant change for the better in terms of the environment is taking place in 2018, when biofuel (wood chips) instead of fossil fuels starts being used for producing the steam used at our factory.

Waste

IMG_8593-2Waste is sorted in the whole plant area, including by external contractors. Sortable waste includes carton packaging, glass, metal, plastics, cardboard, paper, confidential paper, organic waste, construction waste, disposable pallets, clean wood, energy waste, incinerable waste, hazardous waste and landfill waste.

All environmental management operators working with our company have a valid environmental permit. The environmental officer continually monitors and reports on the amount of waste. We seek to minimize the waste to be disposed of by developing different types of waste recycling and strengthening employee training in recycling issues. As a result of the positive development, the waste utilization rate in 2017 was 99 %. Product development and procurement activities always take into account how environmentally friendly and recyclable the materials are.

Logistics Emissions

The company does not have its own transport fleet, so transport is provided by external service providers. When selecting the transport companies, we take into account how environmentally friendly the transport fleet is. In logistics, optimal load planning and full loads are the goal. Electric forklifts are used for the company’s internal transport.

A Compilation of Significant Environmental Aspects

Function Environmental aspect Environmental impact
Direct Juice preparation Water consumption Depletion of natural resources
Juice preparation Reuse of cooling water Saving natural resources
Juice preparation, packing Equipment electricity consumption Depletion of natural resources
Pasteurization Energy consumption (electricity, district heating, steam, cooling) Depletion of natural resources
Packing Energy consumption Depletion of natural resources
Direct/Indirect Waste management Further treatment of the waste generated (recyclable waste) Saving natural resources
Indirect Logistics: arriving material (maritime, road and rail transport) Emissions into the air Climate change, the consumption of natural resources, the degradation of local air quality
Purchasing: logistics for raw material procurement Emissions into the air, fossil fuel consumption Climate warming, the depletion of non-renewable natural resources
Energy production (external) The environmental friendliness of the fuel used for steam production Saving natural resources