Kansas Dairy Ingredients, a dairy production facility in Hugoton, Kansas, received the EPA Region 7 Pollution Prevention Award during ceremonies at the Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference at the Kansas City Convention Center.
Kansas Dairy Ingredients incorporated a number of water conservation projects into its business operations, as part of the company’s sustainability initiatives.
The company manufactures concentrated milk through ultrafiltration. Water is extracted from the milk, cleaned and treated, and then reused to clean the facility or returned to local farms for crop irrigation. The reclaimed water reduces municipal water procurement and wastewater, saving more than 41 million gallons a year.
Local processing of the milk in southwest Kansas reduces the overall volume of milk that requires transportation, resulting in carbon dioxide emissions savings of more than 7 million kilograms of CO2 equivalents per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions from 1,646 passenger vehicles driven for a year.
“The Pollution Prevention, or P2, awards program recognizes forward-thinking organizations that improve the environment and our quality of life,” said Jim Gulliford, EPA Region 7 Administrator. “There is ample evidence that even greater improvements in protecting the environment and public health are possible through voluntary, community and industry-based pollution prevention programs.”
P2 is a successful, non-regulatory approach to energy conservation, water conservation, reduction of toxic materials used and money savings. This awards program is designed to further recognize P2 successes and encourage others to consider a P2 approach.
P2 also emphasizes the reduction of direct environmental impacts and the use of resources and materials.
