Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day is April 22, 2019 and to celebrate, we are sharing some environmental highlights from our businesses.  Air, land and water are areas where the JDI team works every day to reduce our environmental footprint. Below are some of the efforts and results:

AIR

• Since 1990, our Pulp and Paper operations have reduced their carbon footprint by 55%.  This puts us amongst top performers in North America and exceeds the target set by the Government of Canada and the Paris Climate Change Accord.
• Today renewable green energy sources account for 59% of the fuel used at our pulp, paper and tissue mills as well as our sawmills.
• A recent $30 million investment at Lake Utopia Paper near St. George, N.B. earned the team the 2019 Industry Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship from Natural Resources magazine.The new environmental treatment facility turns organic waste into clean burning biogas. This green energy replaces the use of fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25%. Check out the video here:
  
  
  
  
  
• This year we will plant 19.2 million trees – Nature’s air filters.  Over the next 50 years growing trees on the lands we manage will absorb over 92 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.  That’s equal to 350,000 cars off the road each year for the next 50 years.
• NBM Railways have achieved a 31.4% improvement in fuel efficiency (2015-2018) – reducing fossil fuel consumption by over 13 million litres.

LAND

Habitat research and conservation is a priority for our Woodlands team.  From birds to deer, moose and wild Atlantic salmon, over $1.5 million a year is being invested to work with dozens of scientists on research projects.  

 Moose Study Video:

 CAST Website: castforsalmon.com

• Conservation sites have risen to over 1500 today.
• A 42% reduction in total waste between 2013 and 2018 has been achieved by our forest products operations.
• Every year the forests we own or manage in Maine and the Maritimes undergo audits by 3^rd party experts.  Woodlands are measured on a total of 145 criteria that include the environment, community and business.  These audits are about being accountable - making sure that we're taking care of our communities, providing jobs, and that we're also taking care of the environment. It's about ensuring sustainability for future generations.
• ZERO non-compliance issues is our focus.  Here are the 2018 results:

WATER

• Cavendish Farms is doing its part to reduce water and energy consumption. At its potato processing plants, the company use Pulse Electric Field (PEF) equipment which is an emerging method that uses short bursts of electricity for food preservation. This method requires up to 75% less water usage and 90% less energy to run. 
• The forestry team at JDI is protecting over 27,000 kilometers of waterways on the lands we own and manage.
• At our forest products operations in Canada and the US, water usage continues to fall – over 4% in 2018 alone.  
• At Irving Wallboard located in Saint John, NB, all water is recycled and there is zero release of waste water. 
• From coast to coast to coast, Irving Shipbuilding is supporting researchers across the country on 18 applied ocean research projects. Community capacity building, citizen science, climate change, plastics in the ocean and innovating new technology to predict ice conditions are all part of these efforts.
  • Building local capacity for oil spill monitoring and response in Nunavut
  • Monitoring Marine Plastics in Canada’s North
  • Improving access to clean drinking water in Canada's North
  • Marine Researchers Cover All Fronts to Gather Data
  • Video games and drones used to investigate erosion on PEI
  • Irving Shipbuilding and Nunavut Research Institute award $2 million to Arctic research
  • Exploring the Environmental Impact of Offshore Marine Industries

Atlantic Towing Limited (ATL) recently expanded its marine mammal awareness program and training to safeguard all endangered marine mammal populations living in areas where we operate. Each vessel in ATL's fleet - tugboat or offshore vessel - is equipped with a copy of A Mariner's Guide to Whales in the Northwest Atlantic, a guidebook that helps crew members identify and steer clear of whales, dolphins and other marine mammals they might encounter while at-sea. This training helps our mariners protect key populations like the Southern Resident Killer Whales - one of the most thoroughly studied whales in the world that are endangered.

CONTACT :

Mary Keith

Vice President Communications

J.D. Irving, Limited
Phone: (506) 650-8209 or (506) 632-5122

Email: keith.mary@jdirving.com