A Goal for Zero Waste
Sony Pictures Entertainment is striving to reach "zero waste" by developing creative waste minimization programs, policies and partnerships that encourage resource reduction, reuse and recycling. In early 2009, SPE set a goal to reach over a 90 percent diversion rate throughout its Culver City operations by the end of 2012, including the over 44 acre studio lot, adjacent Sony Pictures Plaza building, and Sony Pictures Digital Productions facility. In June 2009, the company took an important step toward this goal by partnering with the City of Culver City in a first-of-its-kind organic waste composting program. In late 2011, Sony Pictures and the City of Culver City transitioned to a waste-to-energy program with the potential to reach a 99 percent diversion rate. Combined with our recycling processes, Sony Pictures' Culver City operations divert a total 97 percent of our waste from the landfills, with the remainder resulting from third party productions operating on our stages.
Since the launch of the zero waste program, Sony Pictures has achieved some substantial milestones:
- The combined solid waste diversion rate for our studio lot, digital productions campus, and adjacent buildings has averaged over 90 percent over the last three years, meaning less than 10 percent is being sent to landfills.
- From the spring of 2010 through summer of 2011, the company completed a closed loop system with compost created from our own organic waste delivered back for landscaping on the studio lot. The compost was also offered to employees for their home gardening and landscaping needs.
- In 2011, we reached a sustainable process that delivers a 97 percent rate of diversion from landfill across our Culver City operations.
