ST. LOUIS — Nestlé Purina PetCare announced Aug. 5 it has achieved its zero-waste manufacturing goal for 2020, having successfully diverted all waste from its 21 manufacturing operations and corporate headquarters to more sustainable streams.

This comes as part of Purina’s goal of zero environmental impact in operations by 2030.

"Purina is passionate about pets and the planet, and sustainability is a central factor in our operations and product development," said John Bear, vice president of manufacturing. "I'm incredibly proud of the effort it took to accomplish this goal of being zero waste across our operations. This achievement is a testament to the passion and commitment of our more than 8,000 employees across the country who are working to create a better world for us to share with our pets."

All waste materials from daily operations were either recycled, reused, recovered or composted. In some cases, Purina provided its manufacturing waste to companies that convert waste to energy.

"Pet lovers care about how their pets' food and litter are made, and that it's done in a responsible way, and we couldn't agree more," said Gopi Sandhu, director of sustainable operations at Purina. "By focusing on reducing waste and finding beneficial uses for materials that would have otherwise been discarded, Purina employees lead the charge by driving innovation towards a more circular economy.  Some of our former waste materials now become soil amendments, needed to grow our healthy ingredients. Others are converted to methane, which is then captured to fuel the types of carbon-neutral energy we increasingly rely on."

Additionally, some recycled paperboard has been used as a key ingredient in Purina’s Yesterday’s News alternative cat litter products.

According to the company, each manufacturing site began by assessing its waste streams to identify opportunities and solutions for minimizing waste generation and waste-to-landfill. The company credited its zero-waste feat to local vendors, partners and its employees at each site.

Purina is also working toward improving its ingredient sourcing, water use and packaging. It aims to make 100% of its products recyclable or reusable and achieve 100% renewable electricity use at all manufacturing sites by 2025.

Continue reading about Purina’s and other pet food and treat manufacturers’ zero-waste plans and achievements.

Read more about sustainability in the pet food and treat supply chain.