Page 12 - AWA Vol.41-No.3

HORTICULTURE

Jiffy Growbags Now Made with 40% Recycled Plastic:

Advancing Sustainability in Horticulture
iffy is proud to announce a significant
Jadvancement in our commitment to
sustainability: as of March 1, 2025, all
new orders of our Growbags are pro-
duced using 40% recycled plastic. This
initiative marks a substantial step for-
ward in reducing our reliance on virgin
plastics and addressing environmental
concerns within the horticultural sector. Commitment to Organic Substrates
Progressing from 20% to 40% Recy- and Disease Resistance
cled Content broader impact across our operations." Beyond sustainable plastic use, Jiffy has
Our journey toward more sustainable This comprehensive strategy reflects long been an advocate of organic sub-
products began with the introduction our dedication to integrating sustain- strates as alternatives to inorganic grow-
of Growbags containing 20% recycled able practices throughout our business ing media. Our Growbags, made from
plastic in June 2024. The positive re- operations. 100% coco substrate, offer excellent
sponse and performance of these initial Ensuring Quality through Supply rooting characteristics and are ready
products have encouraged us to double Chain Management to use without preliminary preparation.
the recycled content to 40%. This pro- This focus on organic materials not only
gression aligns with global efforts to Wasanthi Nagasena, Manager of Sup- supports environmental sustainabil-
minimize the use of virgin plastics and ply Chain at Jiffy Sri Lanka, oversees the ity but also enhances disease resistance
adapt to new taxation policies affecting procurement and sourcing of materials and promotes healthier plant growth.
plastic consumption. for Growbag production. She highlights The transition to 40% recycled plastic
the importance of maintaining a stable
Strategic Sustainability Initiatives supply chain and ensuring the quality of in our Growbags is a testament to Jiffy's
Richard Stevenson, Sustainability Man- materials as we incorporate more sus- commitment to innovation and environ-
ager at Jiffy, emphasizes our holistic ap- tainable components. This meticulous mental stewardship. We remain dedi-
proach to environmental responsibility: attention to sourcing and quality assur- cated to developing sustainable plant-
"My responsibility is to guide the strat- ance ensures that our Growbags contin- growing solutions that meet the evolving
egy for sustainability. Right now, we're ue to meet the high standards our cus- needs of our customers while contribut-
also incorporating social sustainability tomers expect. ing positively to the planet.
into our approach, ensuring we make a Circle 12 on enquiry card

KWS concludes construction of new Seed Inventory
eed specialist KWS has constructed a coating, colored or treated with plant pro-
Snew facility for processing and stor- tection. Sustainability was a top priority for
ing high-quality breeding material at its KWS during the building’s construction. In
headquarters in Einbeck, where it is now a joint project with the city of Einbeck and
fully operational. Referred to as the Seed with extensive support from the municipal
Inventory, the facility with a floor area of wastewater utility, the waste heat from a
13,000 square meters offers space for sewage treatment plant is used to supply
around 1.3 million seed lots of sugarbeet, the facility with heat. The energy gener-
fodder beet, oilseed rape, catch crops and ated via a heat exchanger corresponds
peas. The investment volume amounts to variety of challenges. I would like to thank to the energy requirements of around 100
51 million euros. In addition, the company all employees and partners whose com- detached houses. In addition, the warm
is planning another major investment at mitment helped make its implementation exhaust air produced when drying plant
the site: the grounds on Grimsehlstrasse a success,” says project manager Chris material is dehumidified and fed back
will be home to a new 4,600-square-meter Preuss. into the drying process. Photovoltaic mod-
Phytopathology Center for research into The new building features a high-bay ules on the roof of the building ensure a
plant diseases. warehouse with 70,000 storage spaces sustainable power supply.
Seed Inventory: seed warehouse and and a large pallet warehouse. To control New Phytopathology Center planned
production complex warehouse pests, the facility maintains The new Seed Inventory is a long-term
“Genetic diversity is the basis for breed- a constant temperature of 6 to 8 degrees investment in the Einbeck site, which
ing high-performing varieties. The new Celsius and a humidity level of 30 percent. KWS intends to expand even further by
Seed Inventory helps us strengthen a In addition to being a storage facility, the constructing a center for phytopathology.
central part of our product development, Seed Inventory also serves as a produc- Phytopathology research is becoming in-
because it enables us to process mark- tion complex: The plant material, which creasingly important in plant breeding
edly more breeding material and keep is delivered from all over Europe, first as chemical plant protection is reduced
it available for our breeders,” says Felix undergoes various processing steps be- while pest and disease pressure increas-
Büchting, Spokesperson of the Executive fore finding its way into the warehouses. es. “Only if we know the infection path-
Board. KWS began constructing the build- Among other things, it is dried, freed of ways and diseases affecting our crops can
ing in the northeastern part of the com- foreign material, cleaned and sorted by we succeed in breeding resistant variet-
pany premises on Otto-Hahn-Strasse in size. In the new Seed Inventory, all these ies,” explains Felix Büchting. “At our Phy-
2022. Over the past few months, the newly steps take place centrally on one level, topathology Center, across a work area of
formed team – consisting of 50 permanent enabling more efficient processes. If a around 4,600 square meters, we will carry
employees and up to 80 seasonal workers breeder requests seed for a trial, it is pre- out research across a broad range of crops
– has gradually put the facility into opera- pared in a further step before delivery: for our markets worldwide.“
tion. “A project of this caliber presents a for example, it may be given a protective Circle 13 on enquiry card

10 Vol. 41 No. 3