Mission: Abfall abschaffen - Zahnbürsten werden zu Mülleimern werden zu Gießkannen werden zu Parkbänken. Seit rund einem Jahr gibt es in Österreich eine weitere Entsorgungsmöglichkeit für so manchen Abfall: TerraCycle! Das in den USA gegründete Recyclingunternehmen TerraCycle hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, in Kooperation mit Herstellerfirmen Abfälle wie Zahnpflegeprodukte zu recyceln.

Alte Zahnbürsten, leere Zahnpastatuben und Zahnseidedöschen sowie alte Plastikumverpackungen dazu sammeln die Schüler der Volksschule Absdorf. "TerraCycle" erzeugt daraus neue Dinge, wie z.B. Gießkannen und Schneidebretter.

Alte Zahnbürsten und leere Zahnpastatuben, die sonst in der Müllverbrennung landen würden, haben die Kinder der Volksschule Maria Bild gesammelt. Die ausgedienten Plastikprodukte wurden den Firmen Colgate und Terracycle übergeben, die daraus neue Kunststoffwaren erzeugen lässt. Auch der Kindergarten beteiligte sich an der Aktion.

Leere Zahncremetuben, alte Zahnbürsten, leere Zahnseide-Verpackungen – für die Kinder der Volksschule Ebergassing sind diese Abfälle noch wertvoll. Seit alle Kinder und Lehrer an dem neuen Recyclingprogramm für Zahnpflegeprodukte aus Plastik teilnehmen, ist die ganze Schule im Sammelfieber. Über das von der Zahnpflegemarke Colgate und dem Umweltunternehmen TerraCycle ins Leben gerufene Programm können sie ihre alten Zahnbürsten und Co. nicht nur recyceln, sondern erhalten auch für jedes Zahnpflegeprodukt 2 Cent, die die Schule an einen gemeinnützigen Zweck ihrer Wahl spenden kann.

 How Does it Work?

Collect your oral care products in a random box, send them to TerraCycle for free and receive 2 rappen as a reward for each toothbrush or other dental care product. The money can be donated to a charity of your choice. You can even donate that money to your own non- profit booster club. TerraCycle makes sure that the waste will be fully recycled and new products will be made out of it.

BelovED Community Charter School in Jersey City has been educating children for two years, but it's missing one thing: a playground. The school, which opened in September 2012, has not been able to get funding for a playground, but that might change soon. With the help of ShopRite and Colgate, TerraCycle is currently running its Recycled Playground Challenge, an online contest for schools in the Mid-Atlantic region throughJune 30. The eight runner-up schools will receive various prizes from Colgate and ShopRite. TerraCycle collects and recycles typically hard-to-recycle waste and turns it into new, innovative products. BelovED has been leading the contest, but parents, teachers and students are doing all they can to make sure it stays that way. "We're doing all we can through this last week to make a final push to make sure we win," said Parent Teacher Organization President, Elijiah Wells. Wells said BelovED, which is located on Grand Street just west of the New Jersey Turnpike, has held a two-month campaign surrounding the contest for the playground, including a YouTube video. His 8-year-old twin daughters, Amira and Kayla, were out with their dad Thursday morning handing out fliers to commuters at the Journal Square PATH station. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop stopped by to lend his support. "In times of tough budget situations, we need to find ways to supplement money and resources," said Fulop. "This costs tax payers nothing -- just a vote." "It's not seen as a necessity," added Bret Schundler, the former Mayor of Jersey City and supporter of BelovED. Schundler, who also passed out fliers last week, said that after funding school necessities, there's not much left in the budget for a playground. The students have been using a park near the school to play and a blacktop area at the school, but having a playground is the ultimate goal. "We've been trying to get a playground since we opened," said physical education teacher John Taylor. Another way schools can gain "playground credits" or contest points is by sending in empty toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, and floss containers to TerraCycle. One credit will be added for each shipment. The winning school will be announced on July 18 and the playground will be installed during the back-to-school season of the 2014-2015 school year. Click on the following link to vote for BelovED: http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/colgateshopriteplayground.html

Müll abschaffen – das ist die Mission, die sich TerraCycle auf die Fahne geschrieben hat! Mit speziellen Abfall-Sammelprogrammen sorgt das Unternehmen nämlich dafür, dass Müll, der bislang nicht oder nur sehr schwer recycelt werden konnte, ein zweites Leben bekommt!

By collecting and sending in traditionally non-recyclable packaging that would otherwise be destined for a landfill, churches could earn points toward charity gifts or a cash donation through a new program from TerraCycle.  This free to join program is open to any individual or Christian school/church, and all shipping costs are pre-paid. Churches like St. Michael Lutheran Church in Greenville S.C., North Moreland Christian Baptist Church in Wheelersburg, Ohio, and St. Joseph Church in Dexter, Mich. collect a variety of items such as drink pouches, cereal bags, toothbrush tubes and toothbrushes, and cosmetic packaging.  These programs are made possible through TerraCycle’s partnerships with Capri Sun, Malt-O-Meal, Colgate and Garnier. Some religious organizations have enjoyed incredible fundraising success through TerraCycle’s Brigade program.  In just three years, St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia earned over $6,000 though the program.  Last summer, the Hickory Church of Christ in Hickory, North Carolina won the Kraft Cheese Barbecue Bash to earn prizes and a $2,500 donation – doubling the money they had already earned through the Brigade program. “The money we earn through the TerraCycle Brigade program goes to our food pantry,” said Tracie Perkins, the Brigade coordinator at Hickory Church of Christ.  “Our members collect wrappers at home and from coworkers, neighbors and even local businesses.” You can learn more about TerraCycle’s Brigade programs by visiting www.terracycle.com.