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DENVER (KDVR) — The Environmental Protection Agency has honored 93 manufacturing plants across the country for their efforts toward meeting the high mark when it comes to carrying out eco-friendly practices, and three of Colorado’s plants made the list.

The EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification is awarded to manufacturing plants deemed to be among the top 25% of facilities carrying out eco-friendly practices within their sector, of which there are 20. To receive this honor, manufacturing plants must undergo a grading of their energy performance, which is broken down by a 100-point scale specific to their sector.

“Manufacturing plants that reduce energy consumption as part of the transition to a zero-emissions future save money and create the resiliency needed for the long-term health of their operations, our economy, and our planet,”  said Michael S. Regan, an administrator at the EPA.

Colorado’s ENERGY STAR certificate recipients

  • GCC, Pueblo (cement manufacturing) 
  • Mile Hi Companies, Denver (commercial bread and roll baking) 
  • Rocky Mountain Bottle Company, Wheat Ridge (container glass manufacturing)

Since 2006, 230 plants have had their efforts awarded with this status. In all, facilities carrying the ENERGY STAR certification have saved a grand total of $7 billion on energy costs when compared to the industry average, according to the EPA.

According to their own estimates, the ENERGY STAR program has removed 5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector’s output. Additionally, factories carrying their certification sidestepped consuming 90 trillion British thermal units of energy during 2021, all while limiting the release of emissions by what equals out to 650,000 American households’ output.

State-adjacent ENERGY STAR recipients

South Dakota: 

  • GCC, Rapid City (Sector: Cement Manufacturing) 

Utah: 

  • Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Salt Lake City (Sector: Commercial Bread and Roll Baking) 
  • TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Odgen (Sector: Cookie & Cracker Baking) 

Wyoming: 

  • J.R. Simplot Company, Rock Springs (Sector: Nitrogenous Fertilizer)