TERRACYCLE NEWS

ELIMINATING THE IDEA OF WASTE®

Recycling unrecyclable mainstream consumer items

TerraCycle TC Garnier Include UK l’Occitane Fairy Walkers Babybel
The parable of Walkers Crisps is worth remembering next time you encounter a mainstream consumer item that is not recyclable, such as butter wrappers, coffee bags and the plastic backing on An Post stamps. Walkers Crisps became a symbol of unrecyclability in Britain when passionate consumers of the product became so frustrated at not being able to recycle their empty crisp packets that they began posting them in large numbers to Walkers HQ, inundating Royal Mail sorting offices with odious cheese and onion smelling parcels. Should we perhaps follow suit and fill An Post boxes with the plastic-coated label-backing from its stamp books? Walkers responded admirably to the provocation with a special recycling scheme run by terracycle.com that recycles all brands of crisp bags sent to them. They are heated and extruded into plastic pellets to be used in the manufacture of products such as outdoor furniture and flooring. The scheme will continue until a new form of recyclable packaging that ensures the same level of freshness is developed by 2025.