History

Founded in Wilmington, CA, in 1975, Potential Industries started collecting and baling cardboard and newspaper in 1975. As supply of recyclables exceeded local demand, Potential was at the forefront of exporting recovered paper and cardboard to SE Asia and Mexico.

As legislation drove changes in the recycling industry, Potential evolved and expanded.  In 1986 Assembly Bill 2020, the “Bottle Bill”, established the CRV program. In 1989 Assembly Bill 939 created incentives for municipalities to recycle more materials, including curbside collection of commingled materials. 

Potential was “closing the loop” by recycling long before the notion of a “circular economy” was popular. Our logo, which includes three red circular chasing arrows, has been in use for over 45 years. Our commitment to vertically integrate and add value to the supply chain includes:

• Develop first 100% recycled newsprint mill in Shanghai
• Deploy best in class technology in our high capacity Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
• Beneficiate recycling center and MRF glass into furnace ready cullet

Recycling is our only business, and we conduct our operations in a socially, ethically, and environmentally responsible manner. We are proud to be part of a supply chain creating sustainable materials management systems which help conserve natural resources.