PLANO, Texas, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Frito-Lay's Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., facility has become the city's first member of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track Program by demonstrating excellence in environmental management and committing to above-standard goals for continuous improvements in environmental performance. Today, the EPA has recognized Frito-Lay Rancho Cucamonga for this achievement at a flag raising ceremony. Frito-Lay's Rancho Cucamonga facility becomes one of only 41 California companies to receive Performance Track. Frito-Lay's sites in Wooster, Ohio, Orlando, Fla., Pulaski, Tenn., Canton, Ohio, Gothenburg, Neb., and Sidney, Ill., also were accepted into the program this year.
Performance Track recognizes facilities that have a strong record of environmental compliance, set three-year goals for continuous improvements in environmental performance beyond regulatory requirements, have internal systems in place to manage environmental impact, engage in community outreach and consistently report results.
"For nearly a decade, Frito-Lay Rancho Cucamonga has had a resource conservation program that has helped the facility achieve significant reductions in water, fuel and electricity use," said Leslie Starr Keating, senior vice president, operations, Frito-Lay North America. "As a company, Frito-Lay continuously seeks to build on these efforts and further strengthen our environmental stewardship -- joining EPA's Performance Track Program is part of that strategy."
The Frito-Lay Rancho Cucamonga facility has several goals for environmental improvement over the next few years including reducing energy and water consumption, and using innovative waste reduction strategies to limit landfill waste.
"Performance Track members demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental stewardship by going above and beyond what is required by law," said Bill Hanson, Deputy Director, Office of Cross-Media Programs, EPA Region IX. "We congratulate Frito-Lay's Rancho Cucamonga facility for earning membership into this special family of environmental leaders that is reducing its environmental footprint and leading us to a more sustainable future."
Individual facilities apply for membership in Performance Track, and companies may have multiple facilities in the program. The Jonesboro, Ark., site was the first Frito-Lay plant to join the program last year. Since the program's inception in 2000, its nearly 550 members have collectively reported greenhouse gas reductions of 310,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, reductions in nitrogen oxides of 13,000 tons and reductions of hazardous waste of 52,000 tons.
PepsiCo, Frito-Lay's parent, is committed to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, which means generating healthy financial returns while giving back to communities the company serves. This includes reducing the company's impact on the environment through water, energy and packaging initiatives.
Frito-Lay North America is the $11 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana.
