A circular economy is one in which a continuous cycle exists, where waste is converted for use in new products. This regenerative, waste-free model results in a profound reduction in the impact humans have on the environment. One simple way to achieve this is recycling, and when we think of recycling, we think of Pratt Industries.

Customers of The Home Depot have long come to rely on quality products, and when purchasing moving supplies, can rest assured those products are also environmentally responsible. Each year, The Home Depot sells approximately 80 million moving and storage boxes. Every one of those boxes is made by Pratt Industries, and every product made by Pratt is made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled content.

For more than 30 years, Pratt Industries has been America’s leading recycled paper and packaging company. Their commitment to sustainability has earned them global recognition for environmental stewardship and has made them an ideal partner and supplier for The Home Depot.

The Pratt moving boxes available in all The Home Depot locations are made from 100 percent recovered fiber, collected from household and business recycling programs across the country. That recovered fiber is separated at a Materials Recovery Facility; transported to a paper mill; broken down, cleaned, screened and pressed; converted at a corrugator; and shipped to a Home Depot store in the form of new boxes. This closed-loop process gives new life to used products, thereby preserving natural resources essential for future generations.

More than 92 percent of the old corrugated container (aka cardboard) packaging consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling in 2019, helping to make paper the most recovered material in the country. This unprecedented success – made possible by individuals who collect recyclable materials at home, work and school – is a vital step in a closed-loop system. Further benefits from corrugate include right-sized packaging that eliminates waste, minimizes freight and shipping costs, and results in fewer trucks, less fuel and lower emissions.

Pratt’s focus is on recovering recyclable materials and turning OCC (Old Corrugated Containers) and mixed paper into new paper-based packaging solutions. Their operation is enormous. Every day, Pratt receives 360 truckloads of recovered paper, and every year, they reclaim three million tons of recyclable materials. It’s a positive indication of the power of recycling and the profitability of sustainability. Here’s a few more examples of Pratt’s impact in a single day:

    • 85,000 trees are saved
    • 16,500 cubic yards of waste are diverted from landfills
    • 35 million gallons of water are saved
    • 20 million kWh of electricity are saved
    • 5,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions are saved

Landfill avoidance is a primary goal for Pratt Industries and demonstrates the company’s strong conviction to preserving the environment and the Earth’s resources. But it’s not the only goal. The company’s success has been built on sustainability. Over the years, as they have grown, they have continued to invest in technologies and systems designed to minimize the use of the Earth’s limited resources, investing in the production of non-nylon stretch film and Bubble Wrap. Pratt operates a clean energy plant where materials that are otherwise destined for the landfill are gasified and converted to clean energy.