Unilever UK Achieves Zero Landfill Status

Consumer products brand Unilever has become a “zero to landfill” manufacturer in its U.K. operations, the company has announced.

The company now recycles 97 percent of its waste through its waste contractor Veolia. The remaining three percent is converted into energy, Unilever says.

All 11 of the company’s U.K. manufacturing sites – which combined are responsible for around 25 percent of the company’s European waste – its two U.K. laboratories and two UK office buildings are part of the commitment. The zero to landfill pledge is part of Unilever’s global sustainable living plan, which sets out its ambition to double the size of the business whilst reducing its environmental impact.

Unilever has reduced its total waste in manufacturing per ton of production by 77 percent since 1995, according to the company.

In July, U.S. packaging company Sonoco announced a goal of moving five U.S. manufacturing plants to virtually landfill-free status by the end of 2011.

Sonoco is aiming to divert 99 percent of operational waste from landfills with programs in progress at five plants, in the company’s packaging services, consumer packaging, and tubes and cores operations. The company also established a goal of having 10 percent of its global manufacturing operations achieve landfill-free status by 2015.