The Sutta Company

Steve Sutta, President, entered the recycling and sustainability business in 1975 when he co-founded his first recycling facility. Steve wanted to "make a difference" in the world and thought recycling was a way to do it. Diverting material from the landfill still gives him joy. Steve’s sales motto is "Sustainability is good business." He sees companies change when they use the solutions that Green Planet 21 suggests. We have helped firms like Ikea, Pepsico, Kraft-Heinz and others institute business practices that enhance both sustainability and profitability. "

In 1984, Steve initiated the The Sutta Company name and brand. Sutta applies innovation and technology to make recycling a viable option for waste streams associated with industry, government, and the military. Sutta’s work expanded throughout western states to recycle wastepaper, old corrugated cardboard, plastic, metal, food packaging, and other materials. The companies he created include American Shredding, High Desert Recycling, CenCal Recycling, and Rincon Recycling.

Green Planet 21

In 2008, to systematically support and blend these businesses as a growing national brand, Steve and his partners created Green Planet 21. Interacting closely with customers, Green Planet 21 researches and designs custom systems for handling, processing, and reducing large volumes of waste material. The market for recyclables is always changing. Whenever possible, Green Planet 21 finds monetary value in scrap or by-products and diverts tonnage from landfills.

Steve’s has visited more than 150 paper mills in Asia and roughly 40 paper mills in the U.S. Steve took up traveling at an early age. As a result, his worldview has been shaped by visits to more than 75 countries, mostly for pleasure. Steve earned a B.A. in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in June 1971. Steve says, “It has been interesting seeing the industry morph from an afterthought in the consciousness of green minded individuals to the forefront of the news. In 1975, I was the 3rd person in recycling in the Western U.S. with a 4-year college degree. Now, the Industry attracts some of the best and brightest.”

Cardboard and Paper Recycling and More

Green Planet 21 collects and processes large volumes of scrap cardboard and paper for recycling. From eight Company facilities and four U.S. Ports, we ship large volumes of material to paper mills in America and around the world. In addition to cardboard and paper recycling, Green Planet 21 finds better ways to handle unused plastics, metals, textiles, and food products. For example, packaging is separated and recycled while the food inside is composted or bio-digested.

We serve manufacturers, distribution centers, retail operations, military bases, and others. We work with you and your team within your operations. We guide businesses to recycle more and to lower transportation and waste disposal costs. As a product destruction company, we handle unsellable, outdated, and flawed merchandise. Further, Green Planet 21 provides secure destruction services for confidential paper documents and electronic media.

Our half a century of expertise and leadership benefits your business. Green Planet 21 uses the most efficient industrial recycling equipment to reduce trash volumes, recycle more paper and cardboard, lower hauling and waste disposal costs, and divert tonnage from landfills. We offer waste audit services, environmental sustainability consulting, and efficient waste stream management.

Our environmental services group serves more than 1,000 corporate, municipal, and military customers in 34 states. During the past four decades, we have designed solutions for 70 Fortune 500 companies, helping several to zero landfill. As a result, we generate social, environmental, and financial gains.

Our Clients

Green Planet 21 partners with 60% of the most valuable companies in the United States. Our product destruction clients include several of the largest and most prominent U.S. clothing companies, four out of the top five U.S. winemakers, a huge global spirits maker, and major players in the 50 billion dollar per year California food production industry. We have multi-year contracts to shred thousands of tons or paper documents and electronic information storage devices for local, state, and federal agencies. We protect their privacy. Some clients appear voluntarily in our digital communications.