Walmart
reported today that it has eliminated more than 80 percent of the
waste that would go to landfills from its operations in
California.

The company’s comprehensive waste reduction program that
produced these results is now being implemented across Walmart’s
4,400 stores, Sam’s Club locations and distribution centers in the
U.S., moving it closer to its global goal of creating zero
waste.

Achieving a similar 80 percent reduction in its landfill waste
across the country would help Walmart prevent more than 11.8
million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This is
equal to taking more than 2 million cars off the road for a
year#.



“We are proud of the progress we are making toward our zero waste
goal, but realize we still have more work to do,” said Bill Simon,
president and CEO of Walmart U.S. “We are committed to actively
finding and developing solutions that are both good for the
environment and good for business.”  

“We do everything with the customer in mind. We are committed to
buying, operating and selling for less, and our waste program is a
great example of developing new ideas that help us save our
customers money,” continued Simon.

“Through this program we are able to provide the raw materials
needed to make new products, recycle millions of pounds of
commodities and reduce the environmental impact of landfills.”

Beginning in 2009, Walmart created a nationwide infrastructure
of landfill alternatives that could open new opportunities for
municipalities and other businesses to reduce the amount of solid
waste they send to landfills. The href=”http://walmartstores.com/Sustainability/7762.aspx”
target=”_blank” title=”Walmart Zero Waste”>Walmart zero waste
program has three main components:

• Recycling cardboard, paper, aluminum, plastic
  bags and roughly 30 other items through the super sandwich bale
  (SSB) program. Items not eligible for the SSB, including wood
  pallets, polystyrene plastic and apparel, are sent to Walmart’s
  return centers for reuse or recycling.
  
  
  
  



• Donating healthy, nutritious food to food
  banks around the country. In 2010, Walmart donated 256 million
  pounds of href=”http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/9599.aspx”
  title=”Fighting Hunger Together”>food to hunger relief
  organizations - the equivalent of 197 million meals.
  
  
  
  



• Creating animal feed, energy or compost from
  expired food and other organic products following the href=”http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/organics/food/fd-gener.htm#food-hier”
  target=”_blank” title=”EPA food Waste Hierarchy”>EPA’s food waste
  hierarchy.

“Walmart is to be commended for making real progress in
minimizing the environmental impact of waste from its stores,” said
Karen Luken, director of the href=”http://walmartstores.com/pressroom/news/8138.aspx”
title=”Clinton Climate Initiative”>Clinton Climate Initiative’s
(CCI) Waste Program.

“One of the key aims for CCI’s Waste Program is to reduce
methane emissions from landfills, and Walmart’s initiative sends a
clear message to other businesses that this is one source of
emissions that can and should be addressed now.”

Walmart began implementing and consistently tracking its new and
existing href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/walmartcorporate/sets/72157625755128416/”
target=”_blank” title=”Walmart’s Zero Waste photos”>waste
reduction efforts in California in 2009. A third-party review has
shown Walmart uses an appropriate process to establish its waste
reduction data. The nationwide program, based on the California
model, will include an ongoing review to monitor the program’s
success.