GU Energy Labs and TerraCycle Celebrate the Partnership’s Six-Year Anniversary & Significant Recycling Milestone Over 1.7 Million Pieces of Hard-To-Recycle Waste Upcycled and Over $19 Thousand Raised for Schools and Nonprofits        TRENTON, N.J., April 6, 2021 – Leading sports nutrition brand GU Energy Labs and international recycling leader TerraCycle celebrate their six-year partnership with two milestones: upcycling more than 1.7 million pieces of performance nutrition packaging through their Performance Nutrition Recycling Program and a donation to date of $19,000 to schools and nonprofit organizations. Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, the GU Energy Performance Nutrition Recycling Program recycled over 449,000 nutrition packets in 2020 alone, making it the highest collecting year in the program’s history. Enough to build 20 upcycled playgrounds, the cumulative plastic packaging waste sent in from collectors has been converted into raw material that is used in plastic products, such as shipping pallets, bike racks, park benches, recycling bins and more. Additionally, with every shipment of packaging waste sent to TerraCycle through the PNRP, collectors earn points that are available for donation to a local school or nonprofit charitable organization of their choice. “In 1993, we pioneered the Energy Gel and revolutionized the way athletes fuel by using single-serve, portable packets,” said Celia Santi, Senior Brand Experience Manager at GU Energy Labs. “While we love seeing the ways our products help athletes achieve more, there is nothing more deflating than seeing spent gel packets on the road or trail during a ride or run. This is where TerraCycle comes in to help divert waste from landfills.” With the continued support of their event partners, GU Energy Labs is taking a significant step in 2021 towards diverting even more waste by pledging to collect and recycle all wrappers used during races. “We are thrilled that our partners are joining in our commitment to keeping waste out of the landfill,” said Santi, “and we are looking forward to getting to two million pieces more quickly!”   Launched in March 2015, the GU Performance Nutrition Recycling Program asked athletes to send all single-serve sports nutrition packaging, regardless of brand, to TerraCycle to be recycled for free, as GU covers all shipping costs. This includes gel, chews, stroopwafel, and drink packets. As the program matured, individuals were also given the option to drop off their empty performance nutrition packaging at a number of participating run, bike, and outdoor shops throughout the United States. “Over the past six years, the Performance Nutrition Recycling Program has offered health-conscious, eco-minded individuals a way to responsibly enjoy the endurance products they need without sacrificing convenience or sustainability,” said TerraCycle CEO and Founder, Tom Szaky.  “Reaching this recycling milestone shows how dedicated GU athletes are to making the world greener, which is a huge win for both our communities and shared environment.” Recycling Program There is nothing more deflating than seeing spent gel packets on the road or trail during a run or ride. GU encourages all athletes to stash their trash, and they are excited and proud to offer their community a way to reduce all of their impacts on the beautiful places we play. They have partnered with TerraCycle to do just that. TerraCycle is a highly-awarded, international upcycling and recycling company that collects difficult-to-recycle packaging and products and repurposes the material into affordable, innovative products. Their program accepts sports nutrition from ALL BRANDS! Participating is completely free and very easy. There are no signup or participation fees, and we cover the shipping. Follow the steps below to TerraCycle your waste:

1. Join the program by clicking here
2. Collect approved performance nutrition packaging and fill up a box or bag. Your shipments must weigh over 2 lbs to receive the TerraCycle point donation.
3. Download a free shipping label from your TerraCycle account. Click the “Get Shipping Label” under the “Send Your Waste” option in the navigation bar at the top of this page.
4. Ship the box to TerraCycle by affixing the free shipping label and dropping it off at a UPS location.

  About GU Energy Labs GU Energy Labs strives to help athletes to reach their highest potential with products that deliver the right nutrients, in the right amounts, at the right time. Developed in collaboration with Olympians and age groupers alike, the GU nutrition matrix of Hydration, Energy and Recovery products has helped countless athletes achieve their dreams since its inception in 1993. Headquartered in Berkeley, GU Energy Labs produces all of its Energy Gels onsite with just the right blend of heart and science. Recommit to becoming your best athletic self, learn more about GU products, and discover how nutrition planning can help you get there at www.guenergy.com. About TerraCycle TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste. Operating nationally across 20 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers and cities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. Its new division, Loop, is the first shopping system that gives consumers a way to shop for their favorite brands in durable, reusable packaging. TerraCycle has won over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding more than 15 years ago and was named #10 in Fortune magazine’s list of 52 companies Changing the World. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.