New Belgium Brewing, an American firm that makes Fat Tire Amber Ale, has received platinum certification from the US Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC) for its waste reduction practices.

The certificate provides a third-party perspective on how effectively the brewery reduces, reuses, and recycles waste.

New Belgium environmental health specialist Nick Ampe said: “Being environmental stewards has been important to New Belgium since day one, 25 years ago, and our efforts toward mitigating and managing our waste are a key component of this stewardship.

“USZWBC certification provides third-party perspective for our continuous improvement efforts, and participation in the fledgling programme lends a platform for highlighting the environmental, as well as economic benefits of comprehensive waste management for a business.”

"New Belgium’s Platinum designation will be valid for the next three years, after which the brewery will have to reapply for certification."

To obtain the certification, the Fat Tire Amber Ale producer scored 69 out of 80 points across various categories that include Reduce, Redesign, Zero Waste Purchasing, Leadership, and Innovation.

The company scored most of its points for Reduce, Reuse, and Zero Waste Purchasing.

Companies with a 90% reduction rate can apply for the USZWBC certificate. New Belgium has surpassed this rate as it began monitoring the data more than a decade, and is currently diverting 99.9% year to date.

New Belgium’s Platinum designation will be valid for the next three years, after which the brewery will have to reapply for certification.