Sobeys has demonstrated their commitment to reducing single-use plastics time and time again.

They were the first national grocery store to eliminate plastic bags, and now they've actually managed to make a parking lot out of more than 6 million recycled single-use plastic bags.

The grocery chain opened a new store in Timberlea, N.S. today where they unveiled one of Canada's first parking lots paved using post-consumer plastics that have been diverted from local landfills.

Today was the Grand Opening of the new Sobeys store in Timberlea, NS! Our team worked hard to complete this project in 19 weeks and it turned out beautifully! Big thanks to all our trades and suppliers involved! pic.twitter.com/FGXv8k986m

— rcs Construction (@rcsConstruction) November 28, 2019

"This innovative approach to plastics reduction and reuse follows the company's industry-leading commitment to remove plastic grocery bags from all Sobeys grocery stores by the end of January 2020, a change that will take 225 million plastic grocery bags out of circulation at Sobeys' 255 locations across Canada each year," the company said in a statement. 

Outside the store, Sobeys Inc.'s Ultimate Picnic Table sits as another reminder of the store's commitment to sustainability. 

The bench is made from recycled plastics and resembles the other benches and picnic tables Sobeys has installed along Atlantic Canadian shores. 

Sobeys and Crombie REIT, the developer and property manager for the Timberlea location, worked directly with local small business Goodwood Plastic Products, to research and develop the new asphalt pavement mixture, as well as the recycled plastics lumber used for the bench. 

A new asphalt pavement mixture incorporating recycled plastics was developed for the project. Photo courtesy Sobey's.

"The post-consumer plastics parking lot, and picnic bench out front, is one more way we are doing our part to integrate sustainability and innovation into our business," said Vittoria Varalli, vice president of sustainability at Sobeys Inc. 

"Projects like this represent the changes we all want to see  — reduced single-use plastics, more reuse, and increased recycling of plastic waste."