Hershey reaches zero waste at three chocolate plants

Two of the facilities are in Hershey while the third is in Hazleton. Together these plants recycle around 90% of waste generated from the production process with the remaining 10% converted to energy at nearby incineration plants.

The West Hershey plant is also undergoing expansion, which will be a zero waste to landfill $220m construction project. In addition, the company has added biogas capturing equipment at four of its facilities for wastewater processing.

Hershey’s senior vice president of global operations Terence O’Day said: “We are proud of our progress in eliminating waste from our operations” and added that zero waste status had been achieved through a “rigorous process of eliminating waste, recycling and converting waste to energy”.

The company has a long history of environmental sustainability programs as part of its commitment to social responsibility – founder Milton Hershey started the company’s first recycling centre in Hershey in 1937.

Maxine Perella