The Environmental Protection Agency awarded the Cherokee, Iowa Hy-Vee distribution center a 2020 EPA Region WasteWise Award for its efforts in preventing and diverting waste.
The EPA's WasteWise is a program where organizations, businesses, and local governments can show their commitment to reducing waste and promote the monetary benefits of being environmentally conscious. WasteWise recognizes achievements in waste diversion by giving several of its participants the WasteWise awards. Other benefits to joining WasteWise include lowered costs for waste disposal.
“Maintaining a 98.4% diversion rate during the coronavirus pandemic is an impressive achievement and demonstrates true commitment to waste reduction,” EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister said in a release.
"Waste diversion" refers to any activity that reduces or diverts materials going into a landfill. Diversion methods include recycling, composting, and consumption reduction.
In the 2019 fiscal year, Hy-Vee diverted over 31 million pounds of waste, boasting a diversion rate of 98.99%.
Throughout its 27 years of existence, WasteWise has saved over $13.7 billion in landfill fees and prevented more than 488 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Aaron Weise, the vice chairman and president of supply and subsidiaries of Hy-Vee was grateful for the award. "Hy-Vee is committed to making lives easier, healthier and happier in every community we serve, and making sure our operations are sustainable is a key part of that mission," Weise said.
