corporate info

air quality

At GPC, we understand the importance of reducing our carbon footprint while making quality ingredients for our customers. Since 2001, we have reduced carbon dioxide discharge by 5%. Our Muscatine and Washington plants both have CO₂ recovery facilities that limit emissions and produce carbon dioxide for beverage and food applications.

GPC has set environmental targets that guide us toward improving air quality. We are striving to achieve the following by 2016:

• Reduce total emitted pollutants by 58%
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8%

Installation began in 2011 on a new energy efficient feed dryer that uses natural gas and biogas for heating. Construction of the state-of-the-art dryer and other improvements is scheduled for completion in 2015. The new dryer has a wet scrubber and thermal oxidizer to destroy the volatile organic compounds produced in the drying process, which will help reduce total emissions. GPC is also evaluating a $20 million environmental control system for our coal boilers. Both projects combined are projected to reduce total emissions at our Muscatine plant by 72% compared with current levels.