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This is the second in a multi-part series about engineering-related
aspects of PepsiCo's environmental sustainability program. Part 1 ran yesterday,
and Part 3 will run tomorrow.
CR4: In one of
your publications, you state that "our facilities in the United States are primarily
supplied by municipal water sources". Yet some would argue that U.S. drinking
water standards are too weak, especially in agricultural areas where seasonal
runoffs contain high levels of herbicides. Does PepsiCo support the continued
strengthening of U.S.
drinking water standards?
PepsiCo: PepsiCo
starts with municipal water sources but when used in food and beverages, the
water is further treated to meet PepsiCo's own high standards.
For example, there has been much talk about bottled
water. PepsiCo's Aquafina bottled water
goes through a seven-step purification process. See this link.
http://www.aquafina.com/?ftr=howwepurify&or=pepco
Without question, health-based standards for drinking water
are a topic that must remain dynamic, and must change as new scientific data
become available. We support the
continued strength of US drinking water standards, as well as world standards,
since high standards work to our advantage in helping us assure the continued
safety and stability of our products to our consumers. In addition, we often take an active role in
partnering with various interested stakeholders around the world to help inform
the regulatory changes that are so important.
For example, in the US,
we are active on the American Beverage Association's Water Resources and
Quality Committee - an industry advocacy group that keeps close track of
emerging scientific and regulatory trends related to both drinking water and
bottled water. We have similar engagement in other areas of the world as well.
CR4: To make
potato chips, the Frito-Lay division uses water to remove excess starch from
potato slices. What technologies are used to treat this water so that it can be
recycled for subsequent processing operations? And what do you do with the recovered
starch?
PepsiCo: Water
washes away excess starch that comes from the potato slices. The water is then
cleaned and recycled for use in operations.
In many cases it is returned to the water system in a cleaner state than
it started. Recovered starch is then sold for use in industry. In the United Kingdom,
the starch is further processed to food grade and has been both used in our own
products and sold for other use.
CR4: Starting in
2005, PepsiCo began to use hybrid vehicles for its sales and delivery fleet.
What's percentage of your fleet uses hybrid vehicles today? Where do you expect
to be in 5 years? 10 years?
PepsiCo: Frito-Lay
operates its own fleet. Hybrid vehicles have been tested and one vehicle is
currently running a route. We continue to evaluate the economics of Hybrid
delivery vehicles and as of yet we are uncertain about future expansion. Frito-Lay
is also looking at alternative methods to double the delivery fleet fuel
mileage through existing technologies such as small, clean-burning diesel
engines. Hybrids are also being used for company cars and PepsiCo has the
second largest private hybrid vehicle fleet in the country with over 600 units.
Our policy is that as company cars come off lease, they are replaced with
hybrids. This will soon lead to all company cars being hybrid.
Editor's Note: Part 3 of this series will run tomorrow.
To see PepsiCo
Environmental Sustainability in action, visit: http://www.pepsico.com/PEP_Citizenship/EnvironmentalNews/video/index.cfm
Steve Melito - The Y Files
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