Paper and packaging company Pratt Industries has opened a new material recovery facility (MRF) in Atlanta, which will better serve the recycling needs of metro-Atlanta and the northwest and southwest metropolitan areas.

"The MRF has the capacity to process up to 7,000 tons of materials per month, including 4,000 tons of paper that will be used as fiber for Pratt Industries' 100 percent recycled paper mill in Conyers, Ga.  The Conyers paper mill produces enough paper from 100 percent recycled feedstock to save over 7 million trees per year,” said Pratt Recycling Senior Vice President of the company’s southern region Shawn State in a statement.

In 2007, Pratt chose to put a facility in East Point, Ga., to service the Columbia area. Due to the growth over the years, Pratt has outgrown that location, necessitating moving to a new 80,000-sq.-ft. facility. The new facility will help the city of Atlanta and other municipalities and businesses reduce landfill costs by increasing the access of recycling services in the area.

“Pratt and the Atlanta market have grown together since the company chose Conyers as its corporate headquarters more than 20 years ago,” said Pratt Recycling President Myles Cohen in a statement. “We are proud to be able to continue our presence through the addition of more green-collar jobs in our home state of Georgia.”

In addition to opening this MRF, which will receive recovered materials from both municipal and commercial recycling programs and process single steam recyclables and source-separated and baled materials, Pratt recently announced the opening of its new West Columbia, S.C.-based MRF.