Local Manly small business The Shop Next Door takes part in innovative butt recycling program TerraCycle, an innovative global company that recycles ‘unrecyclable’ waste including cigarettes is working with local Manly business The Shop Next Door to tackle cigarette litter. The Cigarette Waste Brigade allows any individual, group or business to register and collect unrecyclable waste such as cigarette butts and send it to TerraCycle via Australia Post at no cost. Since its launch on Clean Up Australia Day in 2014, TerraCycle has collected over four million cigarette butts to be recycled into new industrial items. The Shop Next Door is taking part in the Manly based environmental consultancy, Edge Environment’s 200 Stories Project.  This project being funded by through the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s Bintrim Business Grants, providing free waste audits to 200 businesses in the Northern Beaches to reduce waste going to landfill. "Cigarette butts are a pervasive, non-biodegradable waste and is Australia’s most littered item. TerraCycle recycles ‘unrecyclable’ waste that others deem challenging or unsavoury. Instead of ending up on our streets, in landfill or in waterways, cigarettes can now be recycled into new sustainable items,” said Anna Minns, General Manager, TerraCycle. The Shop Next Door on busy Pittwater Road in Manly is a popular hangout for locals and visitors –it’s fantastic to see that both shop and organic café are reducing their waste to landfill. The Shop Next door is not only tackling cigarette litter – they will help recycle it too from the Laundromat one shop down so the butts don’t end up in storm water and in the ocean. They will place an upcycled receptacle for people to dispose of cigarette butts responsibly,” "Local businesses and individuals can simply send in cigarette waste to TerraCycle to be recycled by securely storing it in a plastic bag (which will also be recycled), requesting a free shipping label from the TerraCycle website and affix it to any used box. For every kilogram of cigarette waste collected, TerraCycle donates two dollars to a not-for-profit organisation of the collector’s choice.” TerraCycle Australia collects other difficult to recycle waste streams including oral care waste such as toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss containers, used cleaning, laundry and beauty packaging waste as well as Nespresso and NESCAFE Dolce Gusto capsules.  

Clean Up Australia Day will be held this year on Sunday 2 March. The annual event provides a simple way for people to clean up, fix up and conserve the Australian environment. For the very first time, volunteers will this year be able to safely collect cigarette butts for recycling. Almost 6000 satchels will be distributed to volunteers, including businesses and community groups.

Clean Up Australia Day chairman Ian Kiernan said a three per cent drop in litter found by an estimated 800,000 volunteers around the country showed Australians were being more mindful of the environment all year round.

Waste isn’t always the sexiest topic. When I tell people about the green business that I run and what we do, for some it’s a topic they would prefer to avoid thinking about. Once something is placed in the rubbish – it’s out of sight out of mind. But our waste ends up somewhere, whether it is at the local tip or in our oceans.

Eco entrepreneur Tom Szaky believes some of the profits reported by the corporate world are absurd. His own company, TerraCycle, has given $20 million to charities over ten years and each year processes 50 million kilograms of waste. This year the company, with 120 staff, will bring in $25 million or more but will only keep 1% as profit.

Cigarette butts collected as part of Clean Up Australia day will be able to be recycled for the first time. Thousands of Australians will help clean up the nation today, and every location taking part in the event will receive a satchel for the butts.