J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI)'s operations continue to find new ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Our team is passionate about sustainable solutions every day - from forest products to the road and store shelves. Check out some of our waste reduction efforts across our operations.

Driving Efficiency & Results: JDI's Transportation Division

The global pandemic has shifted our perspective. More than ever, Canadians understand how vital our transportation services are. As we observe National Waste Reduction Week, we acknowledge ongoing efforts across our operations to reduce CO2 emissions and care for our environment. 

Across JDI's Transportation Division, we are leveraging start-of-the-art technology and digitization to reduce our dependence on fuel and paper and using data to improve the efficiency of our machines on roads, rails, or water. We rely on incredible teams committed to reducing our carbon footprint, while ensuring our supply chains remain open and shelves stocked. 

COVID-19 has seen an increase in miles travelled by our rail and trucking operations to deliver essential products. The good news? RST, Sunbury Transport and NBM Railways have done this while reducing fuel consumption by a combined 720,000 litres year-to-date!

KENT Removes 1.5 Million Plastic Shopping Bags from Circulation in Atlantic Canada

As we continue making business decisions to continue being a responsible retailer, KENT will be free of plastic shopping bags by October 1, 2020.  We support Canada’s efforts to reduce ocean waste by banning single-use plastics.  

As a result, we will be removing 1.5 million plastic shopping bags from circulation in Atlantic Canada and therefore reducing our carbon footprint by 49,500kg or 109,000 pounds.

Our customers are welcome to bring in their own reusable bags, however locally sourced paper bags (from $0.10 - $0.15/ea) will be available October 1st and recycled reusable bags ($1.49/ea) will be available for purchase no later than November 1st.

100% of Pallets and Crates Reused at CFM

CFM's Repair and Overhaul shop reuses 100% of the pallets and crates that are received. The material is used to build new crates for shipping repaired parts back to customers. The pallets and crates would otherwise be put in a landfill. Additionally, usable pallets that are being shipped out have metal bandings instead of shrink wrap securing loads. Our shop also has two sea cans of spare pump parts. This allows us to reuse working parts from pieces of equipment that cannot be put back into action.

CFM's Non Destructive Testing team uses a Silver Recovery System from their Radiography Film Processing solution where the water contains traces of silver and is sent to a processing facility instead of disposing of it. The silver is centrifuged and refined then removed from the equipment before disposal. Preventing harmful metals from entering into landfills. 

Ashland Sawmill Invest in Renewable Energy 

This past Spring, our sawmill in Ashland, Maine turned on a turbine that reduces the site's carbon footprint by 1,000 tonnes of C02. The turbine is part of a $1.8 million dollar investment in the mill which also included an upgrade to the boilers and an additional control room. 

The turbine will allow the site to limit their purchase of electricity, by choosing a greener option. Burning bark, that is already being removed from the logs, creates steam pressure and spins the turbine, creating its own electricity. In addition, there is now sawdust that can be transported to Grand River Pellets (GRP), JDI's pellet plant. The use of site generated mill residues as fuel also reduces landfill disposal and the ash generated from the wood can be used as a soil conditioner on agricultural land. 

Recycled Cardboard at Lake Utopia Paper 

At Lake Utopia Paper, near St. George, New Brunswick they use recycled corrugated cardboard in the process of making corrugated medium.

The recycled cardboard is sourced from all over Eastern Canada and the Northeast of the United States. The waste goes into the making of finished corrugated boxes that are then shipped around the world to many export markets including Central America, South America, Turkey, Greece, Italy and the Philippines. A lot of these corrugated boxes are used to package and transport fresh produce, which eventually returns to Canada as finished goods available at your local Costco and grocery store chain.

Industry Excellence Award - Environmental Stewardship 

Last year, Lake Utopia Paper earned Natural Resources magazine's 2019 Industry Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship. A $28.8 million investment in innovative New Brunswick biotechnology has helped to reduce greenhouse gases by 32%. The new facility turns organic wastewater into clean renewable biogas.  

In addition, the mill has worked to reduce solid waste by 36% over the last 5 years. In 2019, Lake Utopia Paper also diverted 89% of its waste from landfills.  

Biomass Ash - Reduce, Reuse, Re-purpose 

Irving Pulp & Paper has been composting 100% of organic residuals since 2004 to create Biomass Ash which is used by farmers on their fields. 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. 

Today, 97% of waste at Irving Pulp & Paper is being diverted from landfills because of reusing or recycling.

Waste Diversion from Landfills - Irving Paper

Making paper sustainably is our priority and Irving Paper is achieving 99% diversion of waste from landfills. 

Using Less Water - Irving Tissue

Water use at Irving Tissue has been reduced by 12% in the last 5 years.

From the forest to store shelves we are committed to reducing waste by using 100% of a tree.

• 71% is used for construction lumber, pulp and paper;
• 13% is used for tissue;
• 12% is used for corrugated medium and boxes;
• 2% is used for appearance grade lumber, furniture and windows;
• 2% of used for fencing and shingles!

Reducing Waste - Atlas Structural Systems

Atlas Structural Systems’ manufactured floor systems are saving lumber resources and reducing waste and debris by 75%.