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The Publix team is doing their part to reduce waste and be involved as responsible citizens in their communities. To stay true to their mission, they have created initiatives to teach front service clerks on proper bagging, implemented bag reduction goals and established campaigns to encourage reusable bags. 

But in addition to that, Publix also provides recycling bins in front of all stores for customer usage. 

However, the question many customers have, what items can be placed in the bins? 

Publix placed updated signage on all their bins to help clarify. 

Plastic: Only Empty, Clean and Dry Items 
Includes:  

  • Soft plastics (#2, #4) 
  • Plastic bags 
  • Product overwrap 
  • Pharmacy bags 
  • Dry cleaning bags 
Does not include hard plastics:  
  • Drinking bottles 
  • Rigid containers 
  • Clamshells 
  • Jugs 
  • Any item containing food 
Specific examples of plastics that can be recycled also include plastic packaging from toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, overwrap from shipping cases, zip-close and other resealable bags (without the zipper), bread and produce bags, cereal bags (not the ones that come in a box), newspaper sleeves, ice bags, salt bags, wood-pellet bags, bubble wrap, air pillows and plastic wrap. 

Paper: Only Empty, Clean and Dry Items 
Includes:  
  • Paper bags 
  • Newspapers 
  • Publix Aprons recipe cards 
  • Ad inserts 
Does not include:  
  • Fast food bags with food 
  • Cups 
  • Hardcover books 

Foam: Only Empty, Clean and Dry Items 
Includes:  
  • Foam egg cartons 
  • Clean foam take-out trays 
  • Clean foam cups 
Does not include:  
  • Paper or plastic egg cartons 
  • Take-out trays with food 
  • Cups with lids and straws 
  • Packing peanuts 

Where does the recycled material go?  
The recyclables that customers drop off at the stores are loaded onto trucks and sent to return centers. Once they arrive, they are combined with similar recyclables and picked up to be processed and made into other items. 

Some of these items include 
  • low-maintenance fencing 
  • composite deck boards 
  • building and construction products and 
  • new plastic bags