Founded in 1940 by John Zozzaro as a scrap business, the small plot of land and building he purchased on Hazel Street in Clifton , NJ has grown to become the corporate headquarters of Zozzaro Brothers Inc. (ZBI). With dreams and determination, but little else, he single-handedly grew the business with one baling machine and one truck.

The company thrived throughout World War II as resource shortages encouraged citizens to donate metal and conserve resources as a means of patriotic commitment.

During the post-war years, Zozzaro continued to prosper in the face of adversity despite the popularity of landfills as a cheap way to dispose of trash and the notion of the throw-away society. By this time they were able to collect three times as much scrap.

Over the years the business grew and in the 1950s, they purchase their first fork lift truck which cut the loading time in half.

During this time their focus shifted primarily to paper and metals which were in high-demand due to the post-war boom. Ahead of their time, they knew then expansion had to come from the paper end of the business. The word “recycling” was still years away, but the concept was always present in their minds.

In the 1960s, the business continued to expand due to the hard work and resourcefulness of its owners. The 1970s brought major change as productivity soared when the company installed the Stat's first automatic baler and roll-off container system. By the late 1970s it was clear the company needed a larger processing facility to keep up with demand.

In 1980, the company broke ground on the Broad Street processing facility only a few blocks away from where John Zozzaro first started the business. ZBI flourished with the advent of mandatory recycling and the growing sense of environmental consciousness. They implemented the nation's first curbside collection program through town mandates the “junkmen” became full-fledge recyclers.

In the 1980s, ZBI helped municipalities and counties navigate the new recycling laws. In the early 1990s, ZBI accepted all curbside recyclables, adapting to meet the challenges of the recycling industry.

In 2006, Recovered Paper Acquisition Company (RPAC) acquired Turnpike Recycling Inc. located in Carteret , NJ . The addition of the facility further enhanced our position as the state's leading privately held recycling company.

RPAC group companies is an industry leader with over 100 employees the company operates two of the most sophisticated, modern and cost-effective processing facilities.

Today, RPAC group companies hold over one hundred municipality and county agreements in New Jersey , more than any other recycler in the state. We serve hundreds of municipalities and commercial customers nationwide including government agencies, healthcare facilities, professional offices and private individuals.

We are proud members of the Association of New Jersey Recyclers (ANJR), a non-profit network whose mission is to serve as the voice of recycling in New Jersey through education, advocacy and the promotion of professional standards.