Red Stripe achieves zero waste to landfill status

Red Stripe, part of the HEINEKEN Company, has achieved an extraordinary milestone: zero waste to landfill status. With 99 per cent of its operational waste diverted from landfills in 2024, Red Stripe’s progress underscores its core value to Care for People and Planet, delivering tangible environmental benefits to Jamaica and beyond.

According to a company release, the achievement forms part of Red Stripe’s strategic environmental sustainability agenda, which aligns with HEINEKEN’s global vision for a greener future. Eistein McLean, sustainability manager at Red Stripe, explained, “We analysed every waste stream generated and identified opportunities for recycling or recirculation. This rigorous approach allowed us to surpass our 2024 target of 98 per cent, achieving 99 per cent diversion.”

Red Stripe’s success stems from robust partnerships and innovative practices. Collaborations with Jamaica Recycling ensure that plastic, cardboard, and other recyclable materials are compacted onsite and exported for repurposing. This circular approach reduces waste in addition to generating revenue which demonstrates the feasibility of sustainable business practices.

Similarly, the company strategically handles wooden pallets as part of its zero-waste-to-landfill mandate and broader commitment to community welfare. Pallets deemed unsuitable for production are repurposed by local farmers for agricultural infrastructure or refurbished by sector partners. This initiative reduces waste as well as supports livelihoods across the island.

A standout feature of Red Stripe’s zero-waste mandate is its RedCycling buyback programme. Consumers return empty glass bottles for a fee, supporting a cyclical supply chain. Bottles unsuitable for reuse are crushed and exported to Red Stripe’s glass provider, where they are re-manufactured into new bottles–some of which return to the brewery.

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Red Stripe’s approach transforms waste into valuable resources. The brewery’s spent grain, a by-product of brewing, is distributed to livestock farmers island-wide, providing a nutritious, cost-effective feed alternative. “Farmers from St. Mary to Clarendon rely on this high-quality feed substitute, contributing to agricultural resilience,” McLean highlighted.

Further innovation includes the exploration of kieselguhr, a brewing filter by-product. Red Stripe currently applies kieselguhr as a soil amendment at its cassava farm and is investigating additional applications, such as its use in sustainable construction materials.

Red Stripe’s achievement is both operational and cultural. Company-wide initiatives encourage behavioural change through waste segregation at source. Designated bins at its Spanish Town Road offices and canteens promote proper disposal practices, while shredded paper is reused as packaging material. Remarkably, 85 per cent of meals at Red Stripe’s canteen are served on reusable ceramic plates, drastically reducing single-use packaging.

Fortunately, employee engagement has been pivotal. McLean highlighted that “employees have embraced sustainability, suggesting solutions and participating actively in waste sorting. This collective effort is fundamental to sustaining our zero-waste achievement.”

The release emphasises that while Red Stripe celebrates this landmark achievement, the task continues, and that the company remains focused on identifying solutions for the remaining one per cent of waste, including advancing research into kieselguhr applications. “Red Stripe welcomes partnerships to explore innovative solutions. Achieving zero waste to landfill is a step towards our broader ambition: shaping a sustainable future for Jamaica and contributing to the welfare of humanity,” McLean added.

Red Stripe’s zero-waste-to-landfill status demonstrates how businesses can integrate environmental responsibility into their core operations. This milestone reflects actionable progress—impactful, scalable, and essential for advancing the welfare of Jamaica and the whole human race.