Plastic Savings
We expanded our recycling program in 2010. One of our new initiatives addressed the millions of prescription vials we fill at our Publix Pharmacies every year. We saw a big opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment, so our pharmacies rolled out a multifaceted program. In late 2010 we began recycling the prescription stock bottles used by our pharmacies. We also became the first major regional supermarket pharmacy to introduce prescription vials made from both new and post-consumer recycled PET plastic. Customers can recycle these vials either in their community recycling program, or they can bring them back to Publix Pharmacies for recycling. Vials returned to our pharmacies go back to our vial manufacturer who directly recycles them into the production of new vials.
Publix recycles floral buckets from our stores' floral departments every day. By
recycling them instead of just tossing them away, our company will save on disposal fees and landfill space.
In addition, by working with our suppliers, we were able to modify our produce bags to save over 377,000 lbs of plastic per year. That is a reduction of 374 tons of greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions which is equivalent to taking over 65 cars off the road for one year.
