Petco Embraces Program to Keep 150 Tons of Plastic Out of Landfills

Petco will expand a program nationwide that is expected to divert nearly 150 tons of plastic from landfills annually.

The San Diego-based pet care company piloted a program to ship plastic that is not recyclable – low density polyethylene (LDPE), a flexible thermoplastic polymer commonly used in plastic bags, cling wrap and other wrapping materials — from Petco locations to distribution centers and deliver it to a partner to give it a new life as composite decking material for commercial and residential use.

In six months, Petco diverted more than four tons of the plastic, with zero incremental carbon footprint or labor, the company said in a news release, prompting the decision to make the program permanent.

“Our LDPE plastic recycling program is a great example of the sustainability mindset embedded in Petco’s operations and the key role our Petco partners play in improving our processes to help preserve the wellbeing of our planet,” said Vice President of Sustainability, Francesca Mahoney. “We will continue prioritizing these efforts so pets and pet parents can thrive in healthy environments for generations to come.”

Petco also released its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance report, outlining activities by its nonprofit arm, its sustainability efforts and programs that recognize employee diversity.

With the Petco Love independent nonprofit, Petco helped find homes for 142,924 pets in fiscal year 2023, while distributing 2.2 million free vaccines to pets in under-resourced communities and donating $33.5 million in grants to 2,000 local shelters and animal welfare organizations.

In addition, for the third year in a row, American Humane, the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare, gave Petco its American Humane Certified Seal of Approval following audits of company locations and vendor facilities.

On the environmental side, Petco customers can now easily identify grooming services and products without parabens, phthalates and chemical dyes thanks to a new clean grooming label.

Earlier this year, eligible products within Petco’s Well & Good brand portfolio also earned the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics’ Certificate of Approval, as part of the cruelty-free Leaping Bunny program.

The company also noted its 95/100 score in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, the benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to LGBTQ+ employees.