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CONNECTICUT FOOD ASSOCIATION “2009 GREEN AGENDA FOR THE CONNECTICUT FOOD INDUSTRY” Environmental awareness, escalating energy costs, global warming, and greenhouse gas initiatives are some of the important public policy issues confronting legislators, regulators, decision makers, and the business community. The Connecticut Food Association understands the leadership role its members must play in creating public awareness and adopting programs that can generate environmental benefits as well as help reduce operational costs. The Connecticut Food Association is embracing an intensified campaign to endorse “green” programs that sustain the environment, enhance public education, benefit communities in which we do business and create a model for other industries to emulate. Our members recognize that partnerships with state and local environmental and energy policy leaders will enable us to reach our joint goals and create programs that serve our mutual environmental interests.
The Connecticut Food Association will continue to support, share, and/or explore the following points as the cornerstones of our environmental platform:
Promote 21st Century Recycling
- Maintain 21stcenturyrecycling.org website which highlights the trends and benefits of single stream recycling.
- Showcase to the legislature single stream recycling projects as a better and more comprehensive alternative to the further expansion of the bottle law.
- Help develop, track data, and measure results of projects in Hartford, West Hartford, New Haven, and Bristol.
- Fund and develop with the National Recycling Coalition educational materials to promote the program. Utilize stores to disseminate materials.
- Partner with Recycle Bank to institute incentive based programs to increase recycling rates.
Continue to Promote Reinvigorated Recycling - Utilize our community-based stores and association to develop and communicate a new branded recycling message to assist in raising recycling rates.
- On a store by store basis, work with community groups in support of environmental projects to include beach, parks, and playground cleanups, funding recycle bins for beaches, Earth Day supplies, showcasing products made from recycled plastic bags, etc.
- Develop partnerships with communities, NGOs, and states in improving litter control programs, solid waste reduction programs, and “best practices” in recycling. Continue to work with the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority.
- Work with local school systems to include curbside recycling lesson plans such as “Keep America Beautiful” as part of curriculum.
- Encourage recycling by placing bins in stores for customer use.
- Encourage participation in “WasteWise” a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the EPA that provides business with promotional material, technical assistance and conducts workshops on solid waste reduction.
- Continue the reclamation of baled corrugated cardboard and plastic shrink wrap at store and distribution centers.
- Promote recycling of paper at office level.
Shopping Bag Reduction/Recycling Initiative - Sell and promote the use of cloth/canvas bags for reuse.
- Proactively publicize the leadership role that the food industry has performed in increasing the use of reusable bags
- Incentivize consumers to reuse plastic bags: 2-5 cent per bag re-use program.
- Promote the fact that plastic bags can be recycled, place recycle bins in visible locations for ease of consumers uses, return to distribution center or third party for conversion into new products such as Trex decking, benches, rulers, etc. Work with the Progressive Bag Alliance to educate and consumers and legislators.
- Continue the implementation of the CFA developed REACT program designed to increase the use of reusable bags and remind consumers to bring their own bags.
- Continue to educate consumers and legislators on the environmental and economic consequences of banning plastic bags.
- Work with legislators to develop a statewide solution to increase the use of reusable bags in all retail outlets.
Expand Food Waste Composting/Elimination - Work with local communities to find sites for the composting of floral, baked goods, and produce that normally would have been discarded.
- Expand the use of Produce Extractors. This device reduces produce trash weight by 22% by shredding and pressing liquids from fruits and vegetables that normally would have been thrown out whole, then offer for composting.
- Work with member companies such as Cellmark Recycling to promote the use of food waste elimination systems and Chestnut Hill BioEnergy to promote the conversion of food waste to energy.
Energy Efficiencies - Continue to monitor and implement new technologies for store level energy efficiencies.
- Share cost saving success stories such as “dim the lights” programs, installation of energy efficient lighting, secondary- coolant refrigeration systems, and energy audit programs.
- Install refrigeration systems with leak detection sensors and non-ozone depleting compounds.
- Partner with a utility company to develop a “Supermarket Energy Efficiency Best Practices” model store and share with CFA members.
Trucking Efficiencies - Design trucks to allow drivers to go no faster than speed limit to better manage the use of diesel fuel.
- Recycle motor oil.
Expand Donations of Fresh Foods - Donate fresh dairy, meat, and bakery products to local food banks or food pantries in an effort to help those programs thrive and to reduce waste at store level.
Packaging Reduction - Work with trade association partners on national and state level to reduce packaging waste and communicate success stories, i.e. PET reduction in water bottles.
Partner with State Agencies - Interact with the appropriate state agencies and their representatives to share ideas, identify objectives and determine projects for potential partnerships. Enhance key relationships.
- Serve on the CTDEP Solid Waste Advisory Committee and appropriate sub- committee on Increasing Source Reduction and Recylcing Rates.
- Support the expansion of “Pay as you Throw” programs beyond the current 11 towns.
- Support the increase and expansion of Tip fees.
Reinvigorate the CFA Environmental Committee - This “Green” agenda will become the platform for the Committee.
- The committee will encourage CFA members to participate in various aspects of sound “green” policies and make recommendations on sustainability, source reduction, recycling, composting, and environmental awareness.
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