Frito-Lay joins IDEM's Environmental Stewardship Program

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Commissioner Thomas Easterly inducted Frito-Lay Frankfort into IDEM's Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) today.

To earn its ESP membership, Frito-Lay Frankfort is installing water meters at process points to monitor usage and maintain accuracy. They are also implementing monitoring activities and process controls to optimize water use. These changes are expected to reduce water usage by nearly 83 million gallons annually.

"Frito-Lay Frankfort has certainly earned its place as a new ESP member," said Commissioner Easterly. "Indiana wins when companies use sound business practices to demonstrate their core value of environmental protection."

Frito-Lay North America, a business unit of PepsiCo, received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Partner of the Year award in 2007, and the Frito-Lay Frankfort site won the Indiana Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence in 2008.

To become an ESP member, a business must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that it has adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in its environmental performance. 

ESP members qualify for expedited permit review, flexibility in permitting, reduced reporting frequencies, and coordination of compliance inspections in exchange for going above and beyond environmental requirements. To maintain ESP membership, companies must report on their environmental initiatives every year and reapply for ESP membership every three years. Additional information can be found by visiting www.idem.IN.gov/prevention/esp.