On farms and in processing plants, Dole’s “reduce, reuse and recycle” approach continues to deliver initiatives that create less waste. Wherever waste is a material issue, we are committed to understanding and reducing our footprint. Improving our packaging through design and material component levels is also essential to reduce our plastic usage and transition to recyclable or compostable materials.

Costa Rica Waste Management

Nearly 30 years ago, in 1994, Dole led the creation of a joint venture, Recyplast, in partnership with another banana grower and a plastic product manufacturer (now the Montecristo Group). This initiative was part of Dole’s long-standing commitment to reducing waste by recycling agricultural plastic.

Recyplast recycles banana bags and twines from farms into plastic corner boards, which are used to support pallets during transport. Over time, Recyplast has grown to include 22 post-consumer collection and recycling centers across Costa Rica. These centers not only collect plastic from other agricultural operations, such as pineapples and melons, but also provide employment and development opportunities for local communities.

In 2019, the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica awarded Recyplast its inaugural Environmental Sustainability Award in recognition of the organization’s pioneering recycling efforts.

Waste Not, Want Not…

In the Dole Fresh Vegetables Division, two salad processing facilities in Bessemer City, North Carolina, and Soledad, California, have partnered with UCBZeroWaste, LLC, a company specializing in waste data collection and waste management optimization.

This partnership has allowed Dole to streamline processes for efficiently managing diverse waste materials at these facilities, while also increasing recycling rebates.

At the Soledad facility alone, 9% of materials previously destined for landfill have been successfully diverted through reuse, recycling, and waste-to-energy activities since June 2022.

image of a farm