Recirculated, Marrad launches initiative targeting millions of tons of packaging waste

Sustainable transport packaging alternatives company Recirculated has launched a strategic partnership with Marrad, a technology‑enabled manager for supply‑chain‑generated materials, to pilot a "Recover and Reuse" corner board program that converts the high‑volume packaging waste stream into a reusable, lower‑cost and more sustainable solution.

"Corner boards are used on millions of pallets each year across produce, meat, beverage and grocery distribution to protect loads during transport. Despite their ubiquity, most are treated as single‑use packaging and discarded after one trip," the companies said in a news release. "Industry estimates indicate that tens of millions of corner boards are consumed annually in North America, representing millions of tons of material, with 60 to 75% ending up in landfills or incineration streams."

The Recirculated–Marrad initiative aims to create the first scalable recovery and reuse system for corner boards.

Under the initiative, Marrad consolidates used corner boards at participating retailer distribution centers and maintains comprehensive tracking of all material characteristics, along with the supporting EPR documentation. Recirculated then recovers the boards, processes them and returns them to the supply chain as reusable corner boards.

The companies said that the model delivers:

• Projected 30 to 65% cost reduction compared to new boards (lowering COGs)
• Improved landfill diversion ratio
• Cost reduction for removal (from distribution centers)
• Reduced demand for virgin materials
• Lower EPR fee exposure through reuse credits and reduced packaging placed on the market
• Verified circularity and reporting support

"This is a simple idea with enormous impact," said Steve Berger, CEO of Marrad. "Corner boards are everywhere, yet they’ve been treated as disposable for decades. By building a recovery and reuse system around an existing, high‑volume packaging component, we can immediately reduce waste, lower costs for customers and create measurable environmental benefit without waiting for new infrastructure or disruptive technology."

The initiative is rolling out first in California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona, which the companies said are regions facing some of the most aggressive implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws and packaging compliance requirements.

"Every board reused is one less board reported, one less board fee‑bearing, and one less board in a landfill," said David Kalan, president of Recirculated. "EPR is fundamentally about shifting supply chains away from single‑use thinking. Reuse is the highest‑value outcome in the waste hierarchy, and this initiative delivers that in a practical, scalable way that companies can implement today."

Recirculated and Marrad are seeking manufacturers, growers, shippers and distribution centers across the grocery and consumer goods supply chain to join upcoming pilot efforts as the West Coast rollout begins. Companies interested in participating or learning more can contact Recirculated or Marrad directly.

Who to contact:

Producers (such as manufacturers and growers):

• Recirculated: 844-642-1130 or contact@recirculated.com

Sellers of consumer goods (such as retail and foodservice):

• Marrad: 844-462-7723 or contact@marrad.com