Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of production processes while keeping efficiency levels high?
Through study and the ongoing application of solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into our production processes to improve environmental impact.
We focus on ensuring that our plants, including those of Cermenate and Quimper, ranked among the leaders in Europe for production capacity, are also considered best practices in relation to the reduction of environmental impacts.
Our production plants are ISO 14001 certified and our commitment, outlined in our Environmental Policy, is targeted at improving impacts. In particular, it focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption, production and the recycling of waste and the materials used for product packaging.
Emission management
Since the very beginning, we have paid particular attention to the issue of controlling greenhouse gas emissions, both at our production plants and in our offices.
We are also committed to reducing gas emissions produced during the transportation and distribution of finished products:
- Increased efficiency thanks to full-load transport and programmed deliveries
- Supply chain collaboration with co-trucking systems which consist of transporting our goods with those of other companies and the use of vehicles having a 15% higher load capacity than conventional trucks.
- Vehicle modernization. We ask our suppliers to prioritize the use of green vehicles, such as Euro 5 and 6 vehicles.
- Use of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) vehicles enables us to reduce C02 emissions for a value of more than 7 tons per annum, and also allows for a 95% reduction of PM10 emissions compared to next generation Euro 6 vehicles.
| Emissions produced during the transportation of products | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kg CO2eq/ton | 23.5 | 23.2 | 23.0 | 21.1 |
I risultati ad oggi:
-7 tons of C02 per annum
Thanks to the use of two LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) vehicles
Energy consumption
Energy consumption at our plants is directly correlated to daily production volumes, the production techniques adopted and climatic conditions: for this reason, the energy efficiency process is ongoing.
Since 2011, our Cermenate and Quimper plants have sourced 100% of their electric energy from renewable sources. The same also applies to our Soanish plants and offices.
Energy consumption (GJ)*
*Data related to energy consumption at the Cermenate plant, certified as originating from renewable sources.
Water consumption
Our water consumption is connected to the defrosting and sterilization of our fillets and to the functioning and cleaning of the production plants.
Water consumption per ton of product*
* Data related to the Cermenate and Quimper plants.
Waste water is treated by means of special plants located inside the factory. Once purified, at Cermenate for example, it is re-introduced into the area’s water basin, while at Quimper, it is re-introduced into the urban water network. In the latter case, prior to disposal, the water is pre-treated at the Quimper hydroelectric power plant.
Waste management
Bolton Food is distinguished by its meticulous waste management process, given that approximately 99% of its waste undergoes recycling and recovery operations at authorized plants. In particular, waste related to the packaging used for production purposes, including paper, cardboard, plastic, wood and metals, is earmarked for recycling or re-use.
hazardous and non-hazardous waste (%)
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Packaging sustainability
For the packaging of our finished products, we mainly use cardboard, tinplate and aluminium. In keeping with the increase of production volumes, over the past few years, the consumption of these raw materials has increased, as has the percentage of raw materials originating from recycled materials.
Packaging
| Type of packaging | Percentage of recycled raw materials (2017) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main materials | Paper and cardboard | 81% |
| Tinplate | 35% | |
| Aluminium | 40% | |
| Materials used marginally | Wood | 0% |
| Plastic | 0% | |
| Glass | 32% | |
In collaboration with our suppliers, we have worked towards increasing the recyclability of these materials.
In 2019, we won the ‘Special Prize’ for reducing the aluminium in Rio Mare’s Insalatissime packaging, decreasing it from a thickness of 0.24mm to 0.2 mm. This initiative enabled us to achieve an overall saving of 30 tons of aluminium in one year; the amount necessary to produce approximately 2.9 million cans!
The packaging of a product is the most immediate means of communicating information on which consumers’ purchase-making decisions are often based.
For this reason, we are committed to using our packaging to convey clear, correct information about the ingredients contained in our products and their nutritional properties. In 2018, we began introducing information about the fishing ocean, the FAO area and the fishing method on all the packaging of our tuna-based products. This information can now be accessed on our websites through our new, real-time traceability system.
