Plastic has found its way into many aspects of our lives in both products and packaging.

And it doesn’t always end with recycling or proper disposal; instead, it often finds its way into places like our parks, waterways and the ocean. That’s why Earth Day 2024’s theme is Plastic Reduction. The Home Depot and our suppliers have been working to reduce plastic through ambitious efforts and goals:

• We redesigned 350+ private-brand packages to reduce size and materials. This helped us eliminate more than 81,000,000 square feet of PVC film – enough to cover Central Park twice.
• By the end of 2028, we aim for our suppliers to either reduce or convert 200 million pounds of plastic used in products to recycled or alternative materials.
• At select Home Depot stores, customers can return their used plastic plant containers to the Garden department’s designated space, where our dedicated associates will take care of the rest. The Home Depot will also recycle your plastic shopping bags. You’ll find the receptacle in our stores located next to CFL and rechargeable battery recycling kiosks.

Our suppliers are also integral partners in our sustainability efforts with industry-leading innovations. Here are just a few examples:

• 3M has pledged to reduce its virgin, fossil-based plastic usage by 125 million pounds by the end of 2025 and incorporate recycled plastic into their packaging and tape dispensers. In recent years, they successfully reduced virgin plastics in products sold by The Home Depot by 300,000 lbs.
• Behr’s Simple Pour paint cans are made from 100% post-consumer plastic and represent significant innovation as its first fully recyclable paint cans on the market, contributing to a circular economy and reducing waste.
• Pratt has revolutionized the moving industry by innovating cushioning materials and reducing the amount of resin in Bubble Wrap by 30% while changing the design to increase product strength.

Do Just One Thing: One of the most common and yet preventable contributors to landfill waste is plastic water bottles. Each year, millions of these bottles end up in landfills. Installing an under-the-sink water filtration system can provide you with easy access to clean water without the need for bottled water.

Together with our suppliers, customers and dedicated associates, The Home Depot is prioritizing plastic reduction, embracing innovative solutions and impacting the planet for good for future generations. Join us as we continue our journey towards a more sustainable tomorrow.