There is profitability in waste. Join Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle, as he shares his thoughts on the state of sustainable packaging and the paths he sees for the CPG industry in the face of the rising costs of resources, packaging taxes and EPR laws. Tom will tell how TerraCycle has helped hundreds of brands turn wasted packaging into massive brand equity and consumer engagement.

Tom Szaky, 30, is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, Inc., one of the world’s foremost leaders in eco-capitalism, recycling and upcycling. In 2006, Inc Magazine named TerraCycle “The Coolest Little Startup in America.” That same year Szaky was named the “Number-One CEO in America Under 30.” Szaky came to the U.S. in 2001 when he matriculated as a Princeton University freshman. In 2002, he took a leave of absence to dedicate himself full-time to starting TerraCycle, which began as a two-man outfit in a dorm room in Princeton. Today, TerraCycle runs packaging reclamation and post-consumer waste solution programs for major CPG companies, such as Kraft Foods, Nestle, L'Oreal, Mars, GSK, Kimberly-Clark Professional and many more. TerraCycle has expanded these recycling and upcycling fundraisers — which pay schools and non-profits to collect used packaging and products — into 20 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the UK, Ireland, Israel and Turkey. In 2010, TerraCycle was named the 288th fastest growing privately held company in America in Inc Magazine’s annual listing, the Inc 500. In four years of running free recycling programs, TerraCycle has collected over 3 billion units of waste and donated over $4 million to schools and non-profits. In 2012, TerraCycle is projecting roughly $15 million in revenue.

One man’s trash is another’s treasure — and Tom Szaky is living proof. The Hungarian native’s fascination with trash goes back a long way. While studying at Princeton, he and his mates cultivated a huge worm farm, which they fed with cafeteria waste. They then sold the resulting Worm Poop (very effective fertilizer, or so we’ve heard) in bottles they’d found in the trash. It was a win-win: they made money, and the project was environmentally friendly too. Fast forward to 2012, and Tom, as the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, Inc, one of the world’s foremost leaders in eco-capitalism, recycling and upcycling, was named #1 CEO in America Under 30 by Inc. Magazine. Today, with a projected $15 million in revenue and clients like Kraft Foods, Nestle, L’Oreal, Mars, GSK and Kimberly-Clark Professional, TerraCycle is a post-consumer waste solution force to be reckoned with. They’re even teaming up with cigarette companies — talk about an odd couple! TerraCycle isn’t just good business — it’s ‘good’ business. They’ve expanded their recycling and upcycling fundraisers, which pay schools and nonprofits to collect used packaging and products, into 20 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brasil, UK, Ireland, most EU countries, Israel and Turkey.

TerraCycle er et nyt genbrugskoncept, der indsamler og genbruger det affald, vi i tonsvis kasserer hver dag. Efter årtier med overflod følger forhåbentlig århundrede med ansvarlighed. Men indtil alverdens forbrugere ændrer adfærd fra "nyt er gud", til genbrug er guld", er det herligt med nye, innovative ideer, der kan skubbe den gode handling på vej.

TerraCycles mål er at skrotte idéen om skrald ved at oprette indsamlingsprogrammer for affald, som er svært at genbruge. Det indsamlede affald bliver så opgraderet til nye og spændende produkter og materialer, fra parkbænke lavet af genbrugt plastik til bæreposer, tasker, notesbøger, penalhuse, højtalere, legetøj, bænke, vandkander, urtepotter, havefliser, skraldespande og meget mere lavet af genanvendt emballage. Produkterne kan i øjeblikket købes i USA, Frankrig samt Storbritannien.

TerraCycles mål er at skrotte idéen om skrald ved at oprette indsamlingsprogrammer for affald, som er svært at genbruge. Det indsamlede affald bliver så opgraderet til nye og spændende produkter og materialer, fra parkbænke lavet af genbrugt plastik til tasker lavet af genanvendt emballage.

TerraCycle er Princeton-studenten, Tom Szakys store drøm; et firma, der fremstiller innovative, miljøvenlige og gennemtænkte forbrugerprodukter af affald.

The scheme has been launched in partnership with recycling company TerraCycle UK, which will be responsible for collecting the used inhalers for recycling.