Tortilla and tostadas in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags from brands such as Gruma Corp.’s Mission and Guerrero, which bag their tortillas and tostadas in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic film, are being “upcycled” via the services of New Jersey-based TerraCycle, which will reclaim the tortilla packaging and use it to make new tortilla holders and other consumer products. It will also collect packaging from the companies' dips and salsas.

New Jersey-based TerraCycle collects waste packaging from over 60,000 schools and community groups nationwide and “upcycles” them into new, useful products. Known for their “Brigades,” which has students and groups collecting everything from single use drink pouches to empty yogurt containers, Terracycle pays for shipping, prints the shipping labels the Brigades use, keeps track of how many items each Brigade has collected and even provides the shipping boxes. To make the Brigade program successful, TerraCycle has partnered with a number of well-known manufacturers like Kraft, PepsiCo and PaperMate to help turn the nonrecyclable into recyclable. Earlier in the year, TerraCycle partnered with Walmart to showcase and sell a wide variety of the repurposed products they’d created including tote bags made from Frito-Lay wrappers and purses and shoulder bags made from candy wrappers like M&M’s and Skittles. Terracycle has expanded its recycling program into eleven countries and, since its 2001 founding, has diverted billions of pieces of waste that were either upcycled or recycled into over 1,500 different products. They partnered with Toys R Us and Macy’s in New Jersey to collect in-store materials like used sneakers, shoes, used diaper packaging and used and broken toys. They’re discussing a possible regional program roll-out in the northeast. TerraCycle has also opened several retail stores featuring their innovative “new” products. They’ve also developed the TerraCycle Classroom Curriculum to teach students about the problems of and solutions to waste. TerraCycle is a company with both a vision and the ability to give trash a new, useful second life. You can find out more about them at www.Terracycle.net <http://www.Terracycle.net> .

On Monday December 21st, Michael Jasmin and his After School team packaged and UPS’ed to a site in NJ approximately 1100 empty juice pouches which will be “upcycled” in exchange for a financial contribution to PS 261 via a company called TerraCycle. The funds raised won’t single- handedly close 261’s budget gap, and the trash they collect won’t reverse global warming on its own, but over the course of a year After School’s collection team will raise hundreds of dollars for PS 261 while saving thousands of square feet of garbage from a landfill.

The Environmental Awareness committee at Canyon Creek Elementary is introducing TerraCycle's Classroom Recycling program from January thru April 2011.  This is a great way to help by saving: Elmer Glue Sticks, Papermate and Sharpies writing instruments and Scotch tape dispensers for recycling. Parents need to send these items with their kids for collection in the classrooms. This is similar to their successful Box Top Contest.  The winning classroom will be rewarded with ice cream!  Even if you don't have students you can drop items off at the school to be distributed equally throughout the classes or to a designated

New Jersey-based TerraCycle collects waste packaging from over 60,000 schools and community groups nationwide and “upcycles” them into new, useful products. Known for their “Brigades,” which has students and groups collecting everything from single use drink pouches to empty yogurt containers, Terracycle pays for shipping, prints the shipping labels the Brigades use, keeps track of how many items each Brigade has collected and even provides the shipping boxes. To make the Brigade program successful, TerraCycle has partnered with a number of well-known manufacturers like Kraft, PepsiCo and PaperMate to help turn the nonrecyclable into recyclable. Earlier in the year, TerraCycle partnered with Walmart to showcase and sell a wide variety of the repurposed products they’d created including tote bags made from Frito-Lay wrappers and purses and shoulder bags made from candy wrappers like M&M’s and Skittles.

New Jersey-based TerraCycle collects waste packaging from over 60,000 schools and community groups nationwide and “upcycles” them into new, useful products. Known for their “Brigades,” which has students and groups collecting everything from single use drink pouches to empty yogurt containers, Terracycle pays for shipping, prints the shipping labels the Brigades use, keeps track of how many items each Brigade has collected and even provides the shipping boxes. To make the Brigade program successful, TerraCycle has partnered with a number of well-known manufacturers like Kraft, PepsiCo and PaperMate to help turn the nonrecyclable into recyclable. Earlier in the year, TerraCycle partnered with Walmart to showcase and sell a wide variety of the repurposed products they’d created including tote bags made from Frito-Lay wrappers and purses and shoulder bags made from candy wrappers like M&M’s and Skittles.

Tom and TerraCycle are listed among the Philadelphia/Baltimore/DC area’s fastest growing companies and Tom is named one of the Future 50 CEOs.

On Monday December 21st, Michael Jasmin and his After School team packaged and UPS’ed to a site in NJ approximately 1100 empty juice pouches which will be “upcycled” in exchange for a financial contribution to PS 261 via a company called TerraCycle. The funds raised won’t single-handedly close 261’s budget gap, and the trash they collect won’t reverse global warming on its own, but over the course of a year After School’s collection team will raise hundreds of dollars for PS 261 while saving thousands of square feet of garbage from a landfill.

New Jersey-based TerraCycle collects waste packaging from over 60,000 schools and community groups nationwide and “upcycles” them into new, useful products. Known for their “Brigades,” which has students and groups collecting everything from single use drink pouches to empty yogurt containers, Terracycle pays for shipping, prints the shipping labels the Brigades use, keeps track of how many items each Brigade has collected and even provides the shipping boxes. To make the Brigade program successful, TerraCycle has partnered with a number of well-known manufacturers like Kraft, PepsiCo and PaperMate to help turn the nonrecyclable into recyclable. Earlier in the year, TerraCycle partnered with Walmart to showcase and sell a wide variety of the repurposed products they’d created including tote bags made from Frito-Lay wrappers and purses and shoulder bags made from candy wrappers like M&M’s and Skittles. Terracycle has expanded its recycling program into eleven countries and, since its 2001 founding, has diverted billions of pieces of waste that were either upcycled or recycled into over 1,500 different products. They partnered with Toys R Us and Macy’s in New Jersey to collect in-store materials like used sneakers, shoes, used diaper packaging and used and broken toys. They’re discussing a possible regional program roll-out in the northeast. TerraCycle has also opened several retail stores featuring their innovative “new” products. They’ve also developed the TerraCycle Classroom Curriculum to teach students about the problems of and solutions to waste. TerraCycle is a company with both a vision and the ability to give trash a new, useful second life. You can find out more about them at www.Terracycle.net <http://www.Terracycle.net> .

On Monday December 21st, Michael Jasmin and his After School team packaged and UPS’ed to a site in NJ approximately 1100 empty juice pouches which will be “upcycled” in exchange for a financial contribution to PS 261 via a company called TerraCycle. The funds raised won’t single- handedly close 261’s budget gap, and the trash they collect won’t reverse global warming on its own, but over the course of a year After School’s collection team will raise hundreds of dollars for PS 261 while saving thousands of square feet of garbage from a landfill. Not only is this TerraCycle program a fundraiser and great for the envi- ronment, but it is an even better opportunity for the kids who participate. Recently, studies have demonstrated that children who participate in recycling programs score higher in school–particularly on math and science tests. Anyone involved in recycling with kids, such as PS 261’s After School, could have told you that but it is nice to have it confirmed with data.