J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI)'s operations continue to find new ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We're making progress but know there is always room to improve on the journey to zero waste.

Our team is passionate about sustainable solutions every day - from forest products to food, by road, rail and sea. Check out some of our waste reduction efforts. 

Hybrid Technologies at Transportation and Logistics

Our Transportation and Logistics Division has made strides - big and small - toward reducing emissions, adopting greener technologies and keeping environmental stewardship at the forefront of our planning and investments. Some of our recent accomplishments include: 

Switching from Diesel to Battery Auxiliary Power Units at RST Sunbury 

RST Sunbury relies on analytics and innovation to reduce waste and minimize its carbon footprint. Currently, all new Sunbury trucks entering the fleet leverage battery technology to power their auxiliary power units (APUs). This has allowed the company to effectively eliminate 100% of the diesel consumption required by APUs.  In addition, the company has modified the rear-axel ratio and aerodynamic properties of the new trucks, enabling a reduction in fuel consumption in comparison to trucks without these features.  

Environmentally Conscious Renovations at Universal Truck and Trailer

Universal Truck and Trailer (UTT) has invested in major renovations to its Saint John City Road location and finding energy efficient solutions has been top of mind for General Manager, Don Bonnell. All lighting - from the truck and trailer shop, through the offices, showroom and exterior floodlights - have been upgraded, leading to an anticipated 48% reduction in energy consumption in the shop. In addition, improvements to its sites, the company is conserving fuel by pursuing new, more efficient means to transport parts. 

New Hybrid Vessel at Atlantic Towing

Earlier this year, Atlantic Towing Limited announced the purchase of a new-build hybrid Platform Supply Vessel (PSV), to be named the Atlantic Harrier. Equipped with a hybrid battery-diesel-electric propulsion package, state of the art contra-rotating propulsion drives, Clean Design notation, and Tier III low emission engines, the Atlantic Harrier will leverage 650-kilowatts of installed battery power to fully optimize vessel operating modes to significantly reduce fuel consumption. This will likely result in a 24% reduction in emissions, compared to similar, non-hybrid PSVs. Since 2016, Atlantic Towing has invested in four hybrid diesel-electric Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV): the Atlantic Heron, Atlantic Shrike, Atlantic Griffin, and the Paul. A. Sacuta.

Lake Utopia Paper

Industry Excellence Award - Environmental Stewardship 

This year Lake Utopia Paper earned Natural Resources magazine's 2019 Industry Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship in January. A $28.8 million investment in innovative New Brunswick biotechnology has helped to reduce greenhouse gases by 23%. The new facility turns organic wastewater into clean renewable biogas.  

In addition, the mill has worked to reduce solid waste by 28% (2017-2018). In 2018, LUP also diverted 80% of its waste from landfills.  

Irving Pulp & Paper

Biomass Ash - Reduce, Reuse, Re-purpose 

Irving Pulp and Paper (IPP) has been composting 100% of organic residuals since 2004 to create Biomass Ash which is used by farmers on their fields. This has resulted in a 96% waste diversion of waste from landfills. Irving Biomass Ash is a registered agricultural product under Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulations. The ash is the by-product of green energy biomass boilers at three New Brunswick JDI locations: Irving Pulp & Paper in Saint John, and our sawmills - Grand Lake Timber in Chipman and Scierie Grande Rivière in Saint Leonard. As a result, IPP was able to reduce its total waste by 2,914 tonnes in 2018.

Today, 96% of waste at IPP is being diverted from landfills because of reusing or recycling.

District Heating Network

The steam that used to come out the stack at IPP is now recycled and serves as a heating source at Irving Tissue operations next door. This environmentally friendly method - district heating - reduces our dependence on fossil fuels.  District heating is widely used in many Scandinavian countries who supply up to 90% of their population through recycling and reusing of excess heat and steam.

Waste Diversion from Landfills - Irving Paper

Making paper sustainable is our priority and Irving Paper achieved 99% diversion of waste from landfills in 2018. 

Using Less Water - Irving Tissue

Water use at Irving Tissue has been reduced by 6% (2017-2018).

Reducing Waste

Irving Tissue operations are also diverted 64% of waste from landfills for beneficial use in 2018.

Cavendish Farms - Pulse Electric Field Units help Reduce Water and Energy Use

Cavendish Farms is using Pulse Electric Field (PEF) technology, an efficient non-thermal food processing technique, which uses short bursts of electricity for food preservation. This emerging technology requires up to 75% less water and 90% less energy to run.  

Cavendish Farms - Biogas Facility Replacing Fossil Fuels with Potato Waste 

The Biogas facility (pictured) uses anaerobic digestion to convert solid potato waste into green energy for use at Cavendish processing plants. This has led to a reduction of 120,000 tonnes of waste annually which is approximately 5,000 truckloads per year. In addition, this creates 25,000 tons of bio-solids (digestate) which is used as fertilizer and to improve soil stability. 

By switching to Biogas, Cavendish eliminates the use of over 7 million liters of Bunker C oil and over 17 million liters of heavy fuel oil per year. That's a 35,000 tonne reduction in greenhouse gases per year, equivalent to taking 7,300 cars off the road every year! 

Sawmills - Reducing and Reusing Waste

Effective waste management at our Sawmills has resulted in a 13% reduction in total waste output. (2017-2018). 

Eco-Friendly Structural Products by Atlas Structural Systems 

Atlas Structural Systems efficiently builds prefabricated structural products in a controlled environment with systems in place to reduce material wastage by 55%. 

Congratulations to Kent Building Supplies who were awarded the 2019 takeCHARGE Luminary Awards for Retail Partnership! The award recognizes individual and organizational efforts across Newfoundland and Labrador aimed at saving energy and inspiring others to do the same. To be considered, nominees have to show achievements in energy efficiency and corresponding electrical (kWh) savings within the last 36 months.
This year, Kent has:
• Worked with takecharge to plan in-store retail events to get energy efficiency information to consumers
• Helped put energy efficient products in the hands of people across the island
• Worked with takecharge to offer great promotions on a variety of energy efficient products
• In-store events offering demos on insulation, and home comfort
• KENT would like to congratulate all of the nominees and award winners and will continue to support energy saving initiatives with takecharge in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We're continuing to learn and working hard to improve thanks to a great team committed to reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

HAPPY WASTE REDUCTION WEEK!