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JBS Pork in Ottumwa, Iowa, Receives EPA Region 7 Pollution Prevention Award

08/11/2020

Contact Information:

913-551-7715

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JBS Pork recipients of EPA Region 7 2020 P2 Award(Lenexa, Kan., Aug. 11, 2020) - JBS Pork in Ottumwa, Iowa, a pork production facility, was recently selected to receive an EPA Region 7 2020 Pollution Prevention (P2) Award. The award will be formally presented during ceremonies at the Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference later this year (Dec. 1-2).

Pollution prevention (P2) is any practice that reduces, eliminates or prevents pollution at its source. The EPA Region 7 P2 Awards celebrate organizations across the Heartland who have successfully implemented pollution prevention projects.

Also a 2018 awardee, JBS Pork is being recognized for their use of upstream and downstream P2 strategies to reduce nitrogen released to wastewater treatment, and subsequently to the Des Moines River. Additionally, the company redesigned its production line to reduce meat waste by an average of 10,000 pounds per production day. Best practices were also shared with other JBS facilities, resulting in broader water and waste reductions.

“The Pollution Prevention Awards Program recognizes organizations that have taken the initiative to prevent pollution at the source,” said Jim Gulliford, EPA Region 7 administrator. “Region 7 celebrates these forward-thinking organizations that have reduced their environmental impact, improved the quality of life in their communities, and often realized cost savings as an added benefit.”

JBS Pork is a pork production facility that employs over 2,200 team members and provides over 11 million servings of pork every day. The facility is part of JBS USA, a global food company that anchors dozens of rural communities in the United States, operating over 60 meat, poultry, and prepared foods plants and employing over 62,000 people.

In addition to JBS Pork, three other entities have received EPA Region 7 2020 P2 Awards:

Clow Valve Company in Oskaloosa, Iowa
Iowa City VA Health Care System in Iowa City, Iowa
Washington University in St. Louis

P2 is a successful, non-regulatory approach to energy conservation, water conservation, reduction of toxic materials used, and cost savings. This awards program is designed to recognize P2 successes and encourage others to consider P2 approaches.