TERRACYCLE NEWS
ELIMINATING THE IDEA OF WASTE®
Global hygiene company RB, balloon company Zuru partner with TerraCycle
Two more companies have formed partnerships with Trenton-based recycler TerraCycle. Consumers of RB products like Mucinex, Airborne, and Durex, and of Zuru Bunch of Balloons products, can recycle packaging for free by sending them in to TerraCycle.
Consumers will be able to recycle packaging waste from all RB brands of vitamins and supplements, upper respiratory, sexual health & well-being, as well as infant formula & child nutrition, personal care and foot care. Vitamin bottles and caps to infant formula tubs will be cleaned and melted into remoldable hard plastic to make new recycled products.
“People buy millions of RB health products from brands like Enfamil and Mucinex every week, so offering free, national recyclability for the packaging is simply the right thing to do,” said RB North America Health Brands Executive Vice President Nitish Kapoor in a statement.
Through the Zuru recycling program, consumers can send in their water and party balloons, stems, and packaging waste with a prepaid shipping label to also be melted into remoldable plastic.
RB Partners with TerraCycle to Announce Free National Recycling Program
TerraCycle Adds Loop To Its Circular Economy Repertoire
TerraCycle
pepsico
coca cola
Mars
Nestle
Unilever
Include USA
Danone
Mondelez
UPS
Procter & Gamble
Loop
Clorox
TerraCycle Adds Loop To Its Circular Economy Repertoire
Older readers may remember the days when the milkman would take away your empty milk bottles and replace them with full ones. CocaCola and hundreds of other products came in reusable containers. Commerce operated on what was known as the circular economy principle — the packaging that protected consumer products got returned to the source, cleaned, and used again and again. Then came plastics, those space age wonders that allowed anything and everything to be packaged in single use containers that were simply discarded. Corporations loved them because they were cheap and relieved them of the burden of collecting all those glass bottles and reusing them. What used to be considered a necessary part of doing business now became somebody else’s problem. As usual when an economic model allows companies to privatize the profits but socialize the costs, profits soared. Society, unfortunately, has not been so lucky. Today, millions of tons of plastics are resting for all eternity in landfills or floating in the world’s oceans. Pictures of plastic waste have been circulating on the internet for the past few years, showing mounds of plastics washed up on beaches on some of the world’s most remote islands. Microplastics have been found in the deepest parts of the ocean an atop the highest mountains. The public is finally recognizing that plastic waste is a huge problem that is getting worse by the day. TerraCycle is a global company that sees a business opportunity in promoting a circular economy. “We have found that nearly everything we touch can be recycled and collect typically non-recyclable items through national, first-of-their-kind recycling platforms,” it says on its website. “Leading companies work with us to take hard-to-recycle materials from our programs, such as ocean plastic, and turn them into new products, and our new Loop platform aims to change the way the world shops with favorite brands in refillable packaging offered with convenience and style.”Introducing Loop
Credit: Loop
Recently, TerraCycle created a wholly owned subsidiary called Loop. “We envision the future of how we consume as a place where we receive higher quality, better designed products, that we can “throw in a bin” when they are finished with no cleaning, no sorting, and no hassle. But instead of that bin being a trash or recycling bin, it’s a Loop reuse bin, where everything is cleaned and goes around again and again. The future is not just about sustainability, it’s about a better life, where we can access breakthrough sustainability unconsciously.” At the latest World Economic Forum meeting, Loop announced it had formed circular economy partnerships with Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, Mars, Clorox, Coca-Cola, Mondelēz, and Danone. Customers can order products from a variety of companies that are shipped to them in returnable and reusable containers packed inside a reusable blue Loop container. When the products are consumed, the containers are placed inside a similar Loop container, picked up by UPS or other package delivery service, and returned to the point of origin for re-use. Customers pay a modest service fee of the use of the Loop container. CleanTechnicaTerraCycle: a Company That Recycles the Unrecyclable
"The most rewarding aspect is being able to do what I set out to do--having a business that has purpose." CEO Tom Szaky teaches us how to recycle virtually everything and live a zero-waste lifestyle
Loop officially launched to the consumer in the 2nd quarter of 2019 in Paris, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C, and Pennsylvania and later expanded early in the 3rd quarter to Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. To-date, consumer reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and has contributed to our rapid expansion. Also, this year TerraCycle launched the first-ever disposable razor recycling program within the United States, as well as the first cannabis packaging recycling program throughout Canada."
Support TerraCycle's zero-waste movement by joining many of their recycling platforms for free at terracycle.com
About TerraCycle
The recycling market is currently in turmoil. According to National Geographic, 91% of all plastic produced doesn't get recycled, and this number was before China decreased their used plastic imports by 99%. Formerly one of the largest markets in the recycling industry and biggest buyers of recyclable waste, China has now banned the import of most plastics and materials used at recycling processors, causing a build-up of recyclable waste in the rest of the world that's headed straight for the landfill. Where do we go from here? Fortunately, a company called TerraCycle has rethought the entire recycling process and innovates on how we can better live a zero-waste lifestyle. Times like now are why we need to support them the most.
TerraCycle is known for recycling the unrecyclable. They research and execute ways to recycle materials that are typically difficult to recycle, and they partner with brands and consumers to create recycling initiatives for these new processes. They're known for their "closed-loop" recycling: the materials you send in are reused or recycled for companies to buy back their own materials to create new products and packaging. TerraCycle recycles over 97% of all waste they collect, which is very impressive compared to the industry standard.
The free recycling programs are funded by the brands themselves or municipalities, and you can earn points to donate to your favorite causes by recycling through TerraCycle. All you have to do is collect the waste to be recycled and ship it to TerraCycle. Just some of TerraCycle's current partnerships include:
- Arm & Hammer
- Barilla
- Bausch + Lomb
- Brita
- Burt's Bees
- Febreze
- Gillette
- Hasbro
- PepsiCo
- Solo Cups
- Tom's of Maine
So far, TerraCycle has over 200 million members who have raised over $44 million for charity through their recycling efforts. Not to mention, their partnerships and industrial processes have recycled 7 billion pieces of trash that could've ended up in landfills or in our oceans.
converting garbage into worm poop), packaging it in used soda bottles, and selling the resulting fertilizer. To find a larger supply of bottles, we created a national collection program, which was the precursor for our current free recycling programs.
While we no longer produce fertilizer, we have moved into finding recycling solutions for some of the world’s toughest garbage problems, proving that everything is technically recyclable and developing solutions for nearly every waste stream you can think of, including drink pouches, used toothbrushes, cigarette butts and even dirty diapers. In short, TerraCycle takes waste that is not recyclable through conventional methods (i.e. your municipality’s curbside recycling program) and turns it into raw material that is then used to make new products.
To put this in perspective, conventional recycling companies are solely concentrated on processing certain waste streams like aluminum or specific types of plastic and paper while TerraCycle has made a name for itself in recycling “the unrecyclable.” Our programs operate nationally in 21 countries and more than 200 million people around the world recycle through us."
An Interview with Tom Szaky, CEO and Founder of TerraCycle
Tell me about your company and what inspired you to start it
"I got the idea for TerraCycle as a college freshman at Princeton University in 2001, and our original business model was vermi-composting (What are your personal goals and how do they align with TerraCycle's mission?
"At TerraCycle we specialize in figuring out what motivates people and unlocking that knowledge to incentivize them to partake in sustainable activities. This approach has allowed us to design solutions that work in modern life like creating circular systems that reduce the amount of waste in our landfills and waterways, as well as the demands on our natural resources. I’ve long said, a consumer's most powerful tool is their wallet, or when people make it a point to support companies and brands who are really tackling the problem of disposability and taking steps to find solutions that is an excellent place to create change. Through our success, TerraCycle has proven that virtually every piece of garbage can be recycled in some way. Whether it’s through upcycling, recycling, reusing, or composting, virtually every piece of trash is potentially salvageable. Sustainability is finally starting to be “cool,” and it’s very exciting."What are your company's values and missions, and how do you incorporate them into your day-to-day?
"The goal of TerraCycle has always been to eliminate the idea of waste, which we do in three ways (or via three unique business units). First, we develop ways to make things that are non-recyclable nationally recyclable - examples include cigarette butts, dirty diapers and chewing gum. Second, we integrate unique recycled materials into high end products, like turning ocean plastic into shampoo bottles. And third, we create platforms that move disposable products into durable products without sacrificing the economics and convenience that makes disposable products desirable. The truth is there is no other company like us out there in the world – this is partly because we have a very unique philosophy to a relatively innovative industry: waste."What inspires you to keep doing what you're doing?
"The most rewarding aspect is being able to do what I set out to do--having a business that has purpose and global impact. I love coming to work. I love engaging with my staff and our partners to try to solve big problems. If you are going to spend most of your waking hours at work and thinking about work, it’s nice to feel good about what you do."What does TerraCycle's vision of success look like?
"In the past few years or so, the world has really woken up to the issues of waste, ocean plastic, and recycling. People want to do their part, and a majority will report participating in their local program. Problem is, it's not enough, and with China no longer accepting foreign recycling, even less of what people put in their bins actually get recycled. That's where TerraCycle comes in. TerraCycle works with businesses, brands, cities, and municipalities to work around the limitations of the global recycling system and offer national solutions everyone can access in 21 different countries. Some programs are brand-sponsored and free to consumers and others work to integrate difficult-to-recycle materials in a product people can buy and still others, like our Zero Waste Box program are consumer driven. Success for TerraCycle is when we achieve our mission of eliminating the idea of waste, until then we will continue to develop innovative solutions that help reduce waste around the world."What accomplishments has your company experienced so far, and what does the future look like for you?
"Recently we announced our latest initiative called Loop at the World Economic Forum. Loop is the first-ever global shopping platform with the objective of shifting from a disposable supply chain to a durable one where manufacturers own their packaging in the long term.Taking the single-use out of solo-style cups: Reduce Single-Use partners with TerraCycle on recycling a party favorite
Fast Facts: What is the Most Common Form of Ocean Litter?
Martin Guitar Announces Partnership with D’Addario on Playback String Recycling Program
C. F. Martin & Co. announces their official partnership with D’Addario on the Playback string recycling program. Recognizing a growing need in the industry, D’Addario developed the program as a means to recycle guitar and orchestral strings, which are not accepted through municipal recycling programs. With over 3.9 million strings recycled to date, Playback has been widely successful, offering local string recycling centers at dealers, or the option to mail in used strings. The collaboration is a precise pairing, aligning with Martin’s commitment to environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility.
Environmental impact is something Martin takes seriously. They have programs in place at the factory to recycle string waste, sound holes, sawdust, and more, and over 85% of their guitars are built from sustainably sourced wood. With their logo on recycling containers and signage at local string recycling centers, Martin will have a clear presence in the Playback program.
The Playback program is powered by TerraCycle, an international upcycling and recycling company that aims to transform waste into new materials and products. After the strings are collected, they go through a process to separate the metal and nylon strings; the metal strings are melted down and smelted into new alloys, while the nylon strings are recycled into plastic applications. With over 330 string recycling centers across the U.S. at local musical instrument dealers, it makes it easy for any musician to repurpose their guitar or orchestral strings responsibly.
Martin maintains an unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible manufacturing practices and is the first in the Musical Instrument Industry to receive B Corp Status. Martin continually drives the acoustic guitar market forward, introducing innovative features that have become standards across the industry. These groundbreaking innovations include the introduction of X-bracing, the 14-fret guitar, and the “Dreadnought” size guitar.
D’Addario is the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories, marketed under several product brands: D’Addario Fretted, D’Addario Orchestral, D’Addario Woodwinds, Promark Drumsticks, Evans Drumheads, and Puresound Snare Wires. A family-owned and operated business with roots dating back to the 17th century, D’Addario now has over 1,100 employees worldwide, and manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. while utilizing Toyota’s lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario musical accessories are distributed in 120 countries, serve more than 3,300 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and are the preferred choice of musicians worldwide, such as Keith Urban, Zac Brown, Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews, Gary Clark Jr., Chris Thile, Ry Cooder, Joe Satriani, Julia Fischer, Anderson Paak, Kacey Musgraves, and more.
The D’Addario Foundation believes in the power of music to unlock creativity, boost self-confidence, and enhance academics. D’Addario also reinforces its role as a social and environmental leader with initiatives such as Playback and PlayPlantPreseTERRACYCLE JOINS SUPPLIERS PARTNERSHIP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Collaboration between automakers, suppliers and U.S. EPA. aims to advance sustainability through automotive supply chain.
New Jersey-based TerraCycle is joining the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP), Washington, an association of automakers, their suppliers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that works to implement programs that advance environmental sustainability. TerraCycle, a recycling company that recycles “hard-to-recycle” materials through innovative programs, will be joining SP at the organization’s second quarter meeting April 23-24 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“We’re proud to welcome TerraCycle to the Supplier Partnership,” SP Program Director Kellen Mahoney remarks. “TerraCycle is a business with an earth-friendly mission that dovetails nicely with the Suppliers Partnership’s sustainability initiatives. We look forward to working with TerraCycle to find new innovative ways to further preserve our natural resources.”
SP was established with the purpose of advancing environmental sustainability through the automotive supply chain, according to a press release. SP functions as a global forum to “meet and address focus issues,” which includes sharing leading sustainability practices and developing environmental technologies and programs to reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainability. In addition, identifying ways to reduce waste, promote reuse and maximize recycling.
SP says membership helps companies achieve both economic and environmental goals. Through SP’s collaboration with the EPA, members are “provided with topics for special projects, information, approaches and tools to realize common environmental objectives.”
The organization recently participated in the EPA's G7 Alliance on Resource Efficiency, a workshop on the use of life cycle concepts in supply chain management. SP says the association aims to “continually identify new, innovative and more environmentally sustainable ways to enhance the competitiveness of the automobile industry through the global supply chain.”
Despite shrinking recycled commodity prices and harsh winter weather in the Midwest, Waste Connections of Ontario, Canada, has reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of 2019. The company brought in $1.245 billion in revenue in Q1, which is up $1.140 billion from the period the year before and $5 million more than the company’s outlook.
Worthing Jackman, the company’s president, hosted an earnings conference call April 24. Here are some key takeaways from the call:
Austria-based industrial shredding equipment maker UNTHA has promoted Gary Moore to director of global business development. The firm says it made the “strategic decision” ahead of 25 percent projected worldwide growth during the next 12 months.
Currently sales director of UNTHA UK, a position he will maintain, Moore has played “an instrumental role in developing the United Kingdom business by 50 percent during 2018,” according to UNTHA. According to the equipment firm, 2019 “looks set to be even bigger, with 12 waste-to-energy (WtE) shredding solution sales already secured in the first four months of the year.”
An exclusive distributor agreement for the XR mobil-e shredder range is soon to be announced, sales of parts and other UNTHA service products are up by 40 percent, and two further sales appointments are also imminent as UNTHA looks to expand its team, according to the firm.
Drawing on almost 30 years of experience in the international waste, recycling and wider engineering sectors, Moore’s new global position will see him focus on “supercharging the growth of UNTHA America,” states the equipment maker.
Established in 2010, the New Hampshire-based United States office has gained an initial foothold in the U.S., with particular success in the southern states. “But the vast market is rich in wider potential – not least due to a growing demand for alternative fuel,” according to UNTHA.
Moore will be responsible for introducing a sales and marketing plan that will fuel the organic growth of the business while exploring distribution partner agreements. He also is being tasked with helping operators design environmentally compliant plants producing homogenous, on-specification fuels with maximum yield.
Moore also is working on a new strategic partner relationship in Australia. “The WtE market is in its infancy there, in comparison with parts of Europe,” says Moore. “We’re therefore excited about the potential for UNTHA to expand there. As the market is emerging, it’s one of the continents where we’re not yet an established industry name. But that’s about to change.”
Remarks Peter Streinik, head of UNTHA’s global waste division, “We know that clients in different parts of the world have varying requirements. Legislation, market capacity and cultural traits all influence what a prospective customer is looking for, from a shredding supplier. But one thing that usually remains constant is the search for robust, proven technology supported by an engineering infrastructure to protect the longevity of the investment.
He adds, “We treat every project as unique and will sometimes even challenge the customer if we think they can achieve more throughputs, more revenue, or more success from their plant. This is Gary’s philosophy through and through, which means he is perfectly suited to this new position.”
Doosan announced it has expanded its dealer network with the addition of two branches of ACT Construction Equipment.
Doosan Infracore North America LLC, Suwanee, Georgia, announced it has expanded its dealer network with the addition of two branches of ACT Construction Equipment, which will serve as authorized sales, service, parts and rental providers of Doosan equipment.
Through the expansion, the company can now offers its customers in Cloverdale, Virginia, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a range of Doosan equipment, including crawler excavators, wheel excavators, material handlers and wheel loaders.
ACT Construction Equipment has been in business since 1951, under current ownership since 1973 and in the compact equipment market since 2008. The company decided to offer Doosan equipment to complement its current compact equipment offerings.
“Doosan understands the need for quality support rather than pushing a product strictly on price,” says Britt Hefner, operations manager for ACT Construction Equipment. “With these new locations, our intent is to be more responsive to our customers in the Cloverdale and Winston-Salem areas and to go above and beyond to maximize their uptime.”
Lake Forest, Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) has reported first quarter 2019 net income of $187 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of more than $370 million, which represents a 15.1 percent rise compared to the first quarter of 2018.
PCA says its first quarter 2019 net sales were $1.73 billion in 2019, a 2.4 percent increase compared to $1.69 billion in 2018. The company is crediting “higher prices and mix in both our Packaging and Paper segments” for the positive results.
In PCA’s Packaging segment, total corrugated products shipments and shipments per day were up 0.7 percent over 2018’s first quarter. Containerboard production for the quarter checked in at 1.037 million tons. In PCA’s Paper segment, sales volume was 21 percent lower and production volume was 14 percent lower, primarily because of discontinuing production at PCA’s Wallula, Washington, mill.
“In our Packaging segment, we had record first quarter volumes in both our containerboard mills and corrugated products plants, as well as higher prices and mix, compared to the first and fourth quarters of 2018,” remarks Mark W. Kowlzan, chairman and CEO of the firm.
“We ran our containerboard system to demand, and our production allowed us to supply the necessary containerboard to achieve a first quarter record for box shipments per day. In our Paper segment, prices and mix continued to move higher due to the successful execution of our announced price increases, and sales volume improved as we moved out of the seasonally slower fourth quarter. Overall, we were able to exceed our expected results even though we had to overcome significant weather-related challenges across the company that negatively impacted us during the quarter.”
Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2019, Kowlzan remarks, “In our Packaging segment we expect seasonally higher containerboard and corrugated products shipments, with lower prices as a result of the published domestic containerboard price decreases and lower export prices. In our Paper segment, volume should be similar to the first quarter and we will continue implementing the previously announced paper price increases, but scheduled outage costs will be higher due to the annual shutdown at our International Falls [Minnesota] mill.”
The company predicts recycled fiber prices “should be slightly lower” in the second quarter while it also anticipates “slightly higher” freight costs.
PCA describes itself as the third largest producer of containerboard products and the third largest producer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. The company operates eight mills and 95 corrugated products plants and related facilities.
Can Clothing Be Recycled? How to Give Your Old Clothes New Life
We know that fast fashion is an unsustainable apparel-making method and that whenever possible, we should choose to buy secondhand clothing instead. But what about the clothes that we already have — the stuff we don’t want to wear anymore or maybe have outgrown? Can clothing be recycled? If clothing is recyclable, then how do you go about recycling it?
The U.S. generates an alarming number of textiles: About 25 billion pounds every year. Textiles include everything from clothing to footwear to accessories, towels, bedding, and more. Of that 25 billion pounds, only 15 percent is donated or recycled. What’s worse: If only 15 percent is recycled, that means the remaining 85 percent of textiles end up where? The landfill.
What’s an eco-conscious person to do? For starters, don’t buy into fast fashion and when you can, choose secondhand options. If you’re crafty, you can always upcycle old clothes into cleaning rags, new clothes, pillows, and more. Just whip out your handy-dandy sewing machine and with AllFreeSewing.com, you’ll gain access to tons of upcycling material tutorials.
When clothes shopping, look to choose quality over quantity. We know, we know: You want to get the most bang for your buck. That’s why fast fashion places are so popular in the first place; they’re cheap as anything and if you’re being budget-conscious, convenient. But remember: They’re cheap for a reason. These stores are cutting costs in other (harmful) ways, like not paying their staff and not providing safe and fair working conditions. Shopping for quality ensures that your items last a long time, with very little wear-and-tear. If you pay $100 for something that lasts you 10 years, then that really is the most bang for your buck. It’s just a “long run” kind of game.
Can clothing even be recycled?
The short answer is yes: It can! But don’t expect to put your clothes in a bin by the sidewalk and have that be that. It might require a bit of researching, digging, and of course, bringing your clothes to a retailer who will actually accept them.
Interested to learn what else you can do? Recycle your clothing! Here’s how:
Search for places that accept donations
Do you have unwanted, used textiles you’d like to get rid of? Make sure they go to a good home by using Recycle Nation. Both a website and an app, you can use Recycle Nation to find companies that recycle items of any kind. You can search for companies that are looking for clothing, eyeglasses, or even technology donations.
You’ve also got Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles, an online platform that helps you find the closest textile recycling center in your area.
There’s also Donation Town, a website that helps you find a local clothing donation pick-up service in your area. That way, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. (Hey — less carbon emissions since you don’t have to drive anywhere. It’s a win-win!)
Bring clothes back to big retailers
Some companies will either buy back your used textiles or accept donations. While some programs offer money or credit incentives, others simply provide a solution for where to bring used textiles.
Madewell has made a pretty eco-friendly reputation for itself by accepting old jeans. The Madewell Denim Recycling program lets you bring a pair of jeans to a brick-and-mortar store. If you don’t live by a Madewell, you can ship them via mail. In return, Madewell will give you a $20 discount on your next purchase of full-price Madewell jeans.
Aerie also has a great program and incentive. As part of a partnership with Free the Girls, Aerie offers a recycling program (you can donate any brand or style) where you can bring a bra to any Aerie store and receive 15 percent off your next bra. According to their website, each bra donation helps create a better life for sex trafficking survivors and for the month of April this past year, they planted a tree with One Tree Planted for every bra donated.
Other retailers like H&M, North Face, Eileen Fisher, Levi’s, For Days, and Patagonia also have similar recycling programs. There’s also Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program which accepts old athletic shoes from any brand. Nike then grinds up the rest of the material and uses it to make public courts, fields, tracks, and playgrounds.
Not sure how it works? These companies usually sell the used textiles back to an agency that either re-uses them or recycles them. Some retailers, like H&M for example, donate a certain percentage of that price to charity organizations.
Resell your clothes
If you have clothing that has been lightly worn or used, chances are you can get away with selling it. Recycling can mean many things and when it comes to clothes, reselling textiles to someone else who will use them secondhand is well within the definition.
Many local consignment stores or thrift shops will accept donations, but some will even offer you cold hard cash for your clothing donations. If you’d rather handle your transactions online, you can join online resellers like Poshmark or thredUP .
Unwearable clothing, fabric, or textiles? Donate it
Give me your tired, your poor… clothes, that is! Yep, even the stuff that can’t be worn anymore. There’s some recycling program out there that wants even your worst-off textiles and can turn them into something amazing. TerraCycle Fabrics and Clothing Zero Waste Box is a program in which you buy a box, fill it with clothing and fabric (no matter what condition it’s in), then ship it to TerraCycle. TerraCycle then repurposes it.
The Bra Recyclers accepts bras of all states, then reuses and repurposes them; you can either mail in old bras or find a drop-off station on their site. There’s also Soles 4 Souls, a national shoe recycling program, Green Tree, a free textile recycling drop-off located at New York City farmers’ markets, Wearable Collections, an NYC-based clothing recycling pick-up service, and GemText, a free textile recycling program based in the Pacific Northwest.