Recycling

Creating a Circular Economy for Plastics

The circular economy is an economic system based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production while eliminating waste. Named one of the largest plastic recyclers in North America by U.S. Plastics News in 2024, ADS plays a vital role in creating a circular economy for plastics. In Fiscal 2025, ADS purchased 501 million pounds of recycled plastic for use in our products. ADS products are designed to last for decades, significantly extending the life of single use plastics. Not only does ADS create a solution for plastic waste, using recycled plastic reduces our carbon impact by over 70%.

One of North America’s largest plastics recyclers

2025 Highlights

30%

of the recycled pigmented HDPE bottles in the US were consumed by ADS

501 Million

pounds of recycled materials processed

50.2%

of pipe revenue derived from recycled products

630 Million

pound reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions from the amount of recycled plastic we consumed, which amounts to taking 61,000 cars off the road

9 Recycling Facilities

operated across the country

Our Recycling Process

In Fiscal 2025, we consumed 30% of the recycled pigmented HDPE bottles in the United States.

These bottles as well as other plastics and recyclable materials are picked up through curbside recycling programs and taken to recycling centers.

At the recycling centers, materials are sorted and packed into bales. The bales are then taken to our recycling facilities.

We sort, shred and wash the material, turning it into clean plastic flakes. We test all plastic material for quality assurance.

Flake may be further pelletized and is then used in the manufacturing process.

ADS pipe products are installed in stormwater systems that are designed to last decades.

Making Progress to 1 Billion Pounds

ADS has set an ambitious target of utilizing 1 billion pounds of recycled materials annually by 2032. To propel progress towards this objective, we are significantly enhancing our recycling infrastructure. In Fiscal 2025, ADS broke ground on a $30 million expansion at our Cordele, GA ADS Recycling facility. The expansion will increase the facility's total size to 117,000 square feet and will enhance ADS' ability to provide high quality recycled material to our pipe manufacturing facilities in the Southeast.

501 million pounds

1 billion pound goal

The Recycling Partnership

In Fiscal 2025, funds donated by ADS and the ADS Foundation to The Recycling Partnership were used to help advance polypropylene recycling and improve access to recycling across North America; respectively. The recycling process is complex and not all plastics are accepted for reprocessing despite the inherit value to companies like ADS. The Recycling Partnership is critical to increasing the amount of post-consumer recycled plastic available in the United States to help ADS achieve our long-term recycling goals.