Zoe Vandal
- Industry: Food and Beverage
- Project Type: Plastic Use Reduction
- Location: Clackamas, OR
- Major/University: Environmental Science and Water Resources, Portland State University
Summary
Zoe interned at Pacific Seafood to find ways to reduce plastic pollution during seafood processing and packaging procedures by observing processing facilities and researching purchasing practices.
Potential Impacts
Zoe’s recommendations could have an annual impact to:
$97,265
Savings
214,800 lbs.
Reduced solid waste
28 Metric Tons
Reduced CO2
Background
Pacific Seafood is a seafood processor and seller located in Clackamas, Oregon. The company continuously looks for ways to be more environmentally-friendly while ensuring the healthiest, freshest, and highest quality seafood. Pacific Seafood is especially committed to reducing plastic waste and using eco-friendly packaging products because of plastic pollution entering the ocean from manufacturing processes and consumption. Taking steps towards reducing plastic is an essential part of cementing Pacific Seafood as a sustainability leader in the seafood industry.
Solutions
Zoe recommended ways for the business to reduce plastic waste in line with their goal to reduce plastic pollution and solid waste by researching and observing the operations at Pacific Seafood’s facilities. Zoe has several recommendations to reduce plastic waste based on her research and observations:
- Make a smaller plastic bag for Pacific Seafood’s frozen shrimp to reduce plastic packaging use.
- Conduct a waste audit to determine where waste can be decreased and processes can be improved in the packaging process.
- Establish a closed-loop recycling for personal protective equipment and low-density polyethylene film used in processing facilities and ice bins.