New Zealanders can now save oral care items from landfill and help raise funds for their local school, club or community group. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive is a New Zealand first initiative to recycle all oral care items including the likes of toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, dental floss containers and any non-recyclable packaging. "We are working with TerraCycle to tackle oral care waste through this innovative programme called the Colgate Oral Care Brigade. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive engages local communities, schools, groups and households around sustainability whilst raising funds for local projects." said John Garside, Colgate New Zealand. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive will run between June-August 2015. Schools and groups can register for free to send in these items via New Zealand Post to TerraCycle for recycling. "It is estimated that seven million toothbrushes and 16 million toothpaste tubes are used in New Zealand each year. This exciting national challenge is a New Zealand first. We’re calling on local residents to dig deep by saving all their used oral care items as part of Colgate’s Oral Care Brigade and support their local group or school," said Anna Minns, General Manager, TerraCycle. "It’s a win and grin initiative for the environment and for the community. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive encourages everyone to send in all their oral care waste and not just cardboard packaging. Schools, clubs or community groups, that register as a Brigade and send in oral care waste before the end of August 2015 can have the chance to win a share of a national prize pool of $32,500 in cash as part of the recycling drive!" The Colgate Oral Care Brigade looks to extend the lifecycle of everyday oral care items regardless of brand. The items will be pelletised and then recycled into generic products such as park benches, watering cans and waste bins. The first 25 Colgate Oral Care Brigades in New Zealand to send in accepted oral care waste will receive $500 each. All Brigades that send in a shipment of accepted oral care waste will be entered into the final prize draw to win one of ten $2,000 cash prizes. For more information or to register as a Colgate Oral Care Brigade www.terracycle.co.nz/community-recycle-drive

The "Google of Garbage" TerraCycle and Colgate launches New Zealand’s first Oral Care Community Recycle Drive New Zealanders can now save oral care items from landfill and help raise funds for their local school, club or community group. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive is a New Zealand first initiative to recycle all oral care items including the likes of toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, dental floss containers and any non-recyclable packaging. “"We are working with TerraCycle to tackle oral care waste through this innovative programme called the Colgate Oral Care Brigade. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive engages local communities, schools, groups and households around sustainability whilst raising funds for local projects." said John Garside, Colgate New Zealand. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive will run between June-August 2015. Schools and groups can register for free to send in these items via New Zealand Post to TerraCycle for recycling. “It is estimated that seven million toothbrushes and 16 million toothpaste tubes are used in New Zealand each year. This exciting national challenge is a New Zealand first. We’re calling on local residents to dig deep by saving all their used oral care items as part of Colgate’s Oral Care Brigade and support their local group or school,” said Anna Minns, General Manager, TerraCycle. “It’s a win and grin initiative for the environment and for the community. The Colgate Community Recycle Drive encourages everyone to send in all their oral care waste and not just cardboard packaging. Schools, clubs or community groups, that register as a Brigade and send in oral care waste before the end of August 2015 can have the chance to win a share of a national prize pool of $32,500 in cash as part of the recycling drive!” The Colgate Oral Care Brigade looks to extend the lifecycle of everyday oral care items regardless of brand. The items will be pelletised and then recycled into generic products such as park benches, watering cans and waste bins. The first 25 Colgate Oral Care Brigades in New Zealand to send in accepted oral care waste will receive $500 each. All Brigades that send in a shipment of accepted oral care waste will be entered into the final prize draw to win one of ten $2,000 cash prizes. For more information or to register as a Colgate Oral Care Brigade www.terracycle.co.nz/community-recycle-drive -ENDS-

Woods Road School is trying to win a contest to earn a playground made from recycled oral care waste through the second annual Recycled Playground Challenge, sponsored by TerraCycle, Colgate and ShopRite supermarkets.

The Resica Elementary Parent Teacher Organization is competing to win a playground made from recycled oral care waste through the second annual Recycled Playground Challenge, courtesy of Colgate-Palmolive company,

Waikanae Kindergarten kids are sorting used toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes for recycling as the kindie pioneers a national programme to stop the items going to the tip. The Kapiti Coast kindie has registered as one of the first public collection points for TerraCycle and Colgate's oral care recycling programme, and is the first educational institution to become involved. Toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and floss containers are turned into pellets and recycled into plastic products such as park benches, watering cans and waste bins. Kindy pupil George Bidwell, 4, said he was excited to be involved after dropping off items for recycling, and being sent back a pencil and pencil case made from  them. "We are making lots of things from lots of stuff. Making space at the dump," he said. Kindergarten spokeswoman Pettina Meads said they were delighted to be one of the first communities to have a dropoff point for the used items. "Everyone goes through these items and, by bringing them to us, they will be put to good use." The kindie earns two cents for each item sent for recycling, and the money raised will be used to fund new display cabinets so children can easily access their own resources. TerraCycle general manager Anna Minns said the company was keen for schools and sports clubs to join the programme. "It is estimated that nine million toothbrushes and 16m toothpaste tubes are used in New Zealand each year. The programme is part of a big community effort to recycle waste that would otherwise end up in your landfill," she said. "The aim is for whole communities in New Zealand, like Waikanae, to collect together via a nationwide network of dropoff locations." Used items, excluding electric toothbrushes, can be dropped off at Waikanae Kindergarten between 8am and 5pm.

A school in Southington is in the running for a new playground. For more information about the challenge, visit Terracycle's website here.  

Flanders Elementary School is currently in second place in a contest to win a $40,000 playground during a challenge sponsored by Colgate and ShopRite. Flanders School participates in a recycling program through Terracycle and is the only school in Southington participating in the competition.For more information on this challenge, please visit: http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/colgateshopriteplayground or contact the Flanders team at flanderspto@gmail.com.

Flanders Elementary School is currently in second place in a contest to win a $40,000 playground during a challenge sponsored by Colgate and ShopRite. Flanders School participates in a recycling program through Terracycle and is the only school in Southington participating in the competition.

TerraCycle announced the return of its Recycled Playground Challenge – an initiative in partnership with Colgate-Palmolive (“Colgate”), the global oral care leader, and ShopRite, which has more than 250 stores in the Northeast – to help encourage oral hygiene and sustainability among school children and consumers.

TerraCycle announced the return of its Recycled Playground Challenge – an initiative in partnership with Colgate-Palmolive (“Colgate”), the global oral care leader, and ShopRite, which has more than 250 stores in the Northeast – to help encourage oral hygiene and sustainability among school children and consumers.