(Oneida-Herkimer County, NY – Dec. 2015) “In recognition of America Recycles Day, the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority annually recognizes individuals, institutions or industries that have taken the initiative to reduce their solid waste stream through recycling and proper disposal. This year the Authority is honoring our local brewery that has been successfully brewing beer since 1888 and protecting the environment at the same time,” said David Lupinski, Authority Director of Recycling.
The Authority is pleased to announce that the FX Matt Brewing Company is the recipient of the 2015 Recycling Champion Award.
The FX Matt Brewing Company has a long history of environmental stewardship and has been recycling and reusing spent brewery grains, wood pallets, glass bottles, aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard and office paper for decades.
The FX Matt Brewing Company has incorporated sustainability initiatives into every aspect of its operations, including daily production, marketing, and warehousing while achieving a 98.4% recycling rate. This was accomplished by producing 14,112 tons of recyclable and reusable materials and while generating only 226.2 tons of solid waste.
The FX Matt Brewing Company partnered with the Authority to conduct an on-site solid waste and recycling review to profile types and volumes of waste and recyclables, and to identify its origins and handling of such waste. In October 2015, FX Matt Brewing Company received the Authority’s RecycleOne Business Certification.
FX Matt’s Brewing Company sustainable efforts include:
- Installation of a state of the art anaerobic digester for treatment of brewery liquid waste which produces 40% of the Brewery’s electric demand.
- Spent hops from the anaerobic digester process are composted at the Authority’s Compost facility.
- Spent grain from the brewing process is used for feed at local dairy farms.
- Installation of geothermal heat pumps to heat/cool its warehouse.
- Utilizing hydro-electric and other renewable sources electricity suppliers to operate the brewery.
- Replacement of high-energy incandescent light bulbs with low-energy fluorescent and LED light bulbs.
- Installation of motion sensor lighting in many areas of the brewery to save energy.
- Promotion of responsible and efficient water usage in all areas of production.
- Utilization of high pressure/low flow hose nozzles for cleaning equipment.
- Development of a “Green Team” with a Sustainability Supervisor.
- Use of general recycling bins in new areas of the plant.
- Installation of Variable Frequency Drive motors to reduce overall electricity use.
- Elimination of dead stem lines and improvement of insulation of remaining lines.
The FX Matt Brewing Company is a leading example of how a local industry can implement a comprehensive, consistent, and sustainable recycling, energy and solid waste reduction program and is well deserving of this Award.
For more information, please contact David Lupinski, Director of Recycling, at (315) 733-1224 ext. 1600.