did you know?
Chiquita® banana plants are protected by recycled plastic bags, which protect the stems and bunches from damage by insects, the sun and leaves.
 
Waste Management
The Mundimar Biodigester: Global sustainability in focus.
Our innovative biodigester system at our Mundimar facility in Costa Rica is at the forefront of our global sustainability efforts. The system enables us to harness the full energy potential of discarded fruit materials that previously could not be captured. It provides a sustainable energy source for the facility, nutrient rich fertilizer for local farmers and filters processing water, which benefits our company, our communities and our planet.
 
The Mundimar Biodigester
Getting the most from what we use, then giving it back responsibly
A banana plant grows to a height of more than 13 feet in just 9 months. When the bananas are harvested, there's a lot of organic waste that needs to be handled.
To do so, here are some of our waste management solutions we utilize:
  • Banana leaves and stems are turned into compost to help fertilize the soil by releasing natural nutrients.
  • Not all bananas look good enough to display in the store, though they are still very good to eat, therefore, we turn those bananas into a banana puree
  • We also give bruised bananas to farmers who use them for cattle feed.
  • We utilize solid waste traps at all our packing stations to help to keep the rivers and streams clean.
  • Banana plants are protected by recycled plastic bags while they grow. The bags protect the stems and bunches from damage by insects, the sun and leaves.
  • On our farms, many of our water pipes, buckets, building materials, paving stones and other products are made from recycled plastic bags. We even built a bridge in Costa Rica from recycled bags.
  • Composting trenches on our farms are also a favorite place for birds, deer, insects and frogs, because there's so much to eat.
  • Banana plant compost prevents soil erosion from the heavy tropical rains and keeps the soil moist in the dry season.
 
 
Chiquita Banana Bread Grilled Chiquita Banana and Sausage Kebabs Chiquita Plantain Tostone Chiquita Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits Chiquita Banana Chocolate Spider Web Cake Chiquita Pineapple Freezes Chiquita Banana Split Smoothie Chiquita Banana and Dark Chocolate Muffins