At Publix, sustainability is more than a buzzword. It’s part of our mission statement to be intolerant of waste and be responsible citizens. As we celebrate America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, we’re proud to highlight how we have reduced waste and lessened our environmental impact.

What we recycled

Last year, we recycled companywide

• 607 million pounds of cardboard
• 25 million pounds of mixed plastics
• 11 million pounds of mixed paper and
• 115 million pounds of other materials, including foam and food waste.

What our recycling efforts equaled

Our cardboard and paper recycling alone were equivalent to saving 5.3 million trees and 930,000 cubic yards of landfill space.

Food waste diversion

In 2024, we diverted over 59 million pounds of food waste byproducts from our manufacturing and dairy plants. Yogurt whey and cottage cheese from our dairy plant were sent to farmers to feed their livestock. Scraps from bakery production were processed into animal feed.

Let’s keep going

Thanks to the efforts of our associates and customers, our recycling numbers are impressive. Let’s keep the momentum going, continue to find additional ways to reduce waste and support a more sustainable future, together.