Sustainability is not just a corporate talking point at Grand Rapids IBC — it is the foundation of our business model. Every IBC we recondition, rebottle, or recycle represents material that stays out of landfills and resources that do not need to be extracted from the earth. As we close out another year, we are proud to share the measurable environmental impact of our operations.
2023 By the Numbers
In 2023, Grand Rapids IBC processed over 8,500 used IBC totes at our facility on Scribner Ave NW. Of those containers, approximately 5,200 were reconditioned and returned to active service, 1,800 were rebottled with new HDPE bottles while retaining the original cage and pallet, and 1,500 were fully recycled at end of life.
- 8,500+ IBC totes processed in 2023
- 5,200 containers reconditioned and returned to service
- 1,800 containers rebottled with new HDPE bottles
- 1,500 containers fully recycled (HDPE and steel separated)
- 350+ tons of material diverted from landfills
- 180,000+ gallons of petroleum equivalent saved through HDPE recycling
- 92% overall material recovery rate
Carbon Footprint Reduction
Every reconditioned IBC that goes back into service instead of being replaced by a new container saves approximately 150 pounds of CO2 emissions. When you multiply that across our 5,200 reconditioned units, the total carbon savings for 2023 exceeded 390 tons of CO2. That is equivalent to taking about 85 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
Water Conservation
Our cleaning and reconditioning process uses water, and we take our water footprint seriously. In 2023, we implemented a closed-loop water recycling system in our wash bay that recycles approximately 70 percent of the water used in the cleaning process. This system reduced our freshwater consumption by an estimated 450,000 gallons compared to our previous open-loop process.
Looking Ahead to 2024
For 2024, we have set ambitious goals to further reduce our environmental impact. We are investing in solar panels for our facility to offset a portion of our electricity consumption. We are also working to increase our overall material recovery rate from 92 percent to 95 percent by improving our sorting and processing capabilities for heavily contaminated containers.
If sustainability is important to your business, partnering with Grand Rapids IBC for your container needs is one of the most impactful steps you can take. Contact us to learn more about our sustainability programs or to discuss how reconditioned IBCs can support your company's environmental goals.