It's never too early to learn the value of recycling as toddlers in the Lower Hutt suburb of Korokoro are  discovering. Korokoro Playcentre has been involved in The Collective Suckies Recycling Programme where they collect used yoghurt "suckies'' pouches, caps, tubes and containers. The programme is run by TerraCycle, a company which   rewards participants for each kilogram of waste they save from the tip. The programmes are funded by various brands, manufacturers and retailers. Many of the containers come to the playcentre as part of the children's lunches. Playcentre mum Katie Robinson  said  Korokoro had been involved with the programme since the end of last year and  had so far saved about 5 kilograms of yoghurt containers from the tip. It was an excellent effort considering the playcentre only had a roll of 30. Although the playcentre had only netted about $5 in rewards, Robinson said it was more about doing their bit for the environment. "It's about the amount of stuff not ending up in the dump." The programme also exposed the children to the recycling message which was important to the playcentre's ethos and Korokoro community. Any money raised would be put into the playcentre's other sustainability programmes such as its fruit and vegetable garden. The playcentre has also established recycling "drop-off" bins where the public could donate further yoghurt containers and oral care items such as toothbrushes which go towards their recycling total. TerraCycle is a United States based company which operates recycling programmes in 20 countries. It collects typically non-recyclable waste such as cigarette butts and coffee pods which are either recycled or upcycled into other products.

Maraetai Beach School has won a park bench made out of actual recycled oral care waste, as part of the 2016 Colgate Community Recycle Drive. From June to August last year, Colgate and global recycling and upcycling pioneers, TerraCycle, created the Community Recycle Drive to encourage New Zealand residents to recycle their used oral care items and raise funds for a local school, preschool, sporting club or community group. The Drive was part of the Oral Care Recycling Programme launched by Colgate and TerraCycle in October 2014, an initiative Maraetai Beach School is an active collector. Maraetai Beach School was one of the top six collectors in the Drive, collecting oral care waste such as toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles. As part of their prize, the students were able to design their own park bench made of oral care waste. It is all part of the school's recyclign philosophy. Students are encouraged to recycle and look after the environment with initiatives such as beach clean-ups and tree-planting. The school curriculum integrates education on the local environment, and not only encourages respect for it, but also promote concepts such as sustainability and conservation. TerraCycle collects used toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, dental floss containers and their affiliated non-recyclable packaging sent in from the Oral Care Recycling Programme. The products will then be recycled and can be turned into sustainable products such as park benches, watering cans and even playgrounds. This programme accepts any brand of used non-electric toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, plastic toothbrush packaging, interdental brushes, wisps, pumps, stand up toothpaste bottles and all affiliated non-recyclable packaging. These items are typically not recyclable in council and municipal recycling programmes. By collecting these products and sending them to TerraCycle, collectors can also raise $0.02 per point collected which can be donated to their chosen school, charity or not-for-profit. Information about Oral Care Recycling programme: www.terracycle.co.nz/en-NZ/brigades/bsbf-schools With the recycled park bench are (from left) Maraetai Beach School students Meg McKenzie, Anya Worthington and Kyah Pratt.

Becoming a part of TerraCycle's recycling drop-off initiative was a no brainer for Hamilton-based Florist Ilene owner Marie Fowler.

A rural Waikato school has been gifted a park bench made entirely from recycled oral care waste. Tahuna School in Morrinsville was awarded the bench as part of the 2016 Colgate Community Recycle Drive. The school won the park bench as part of a Community Recycle Drive TerraCycle held last year with Colgate. From June to August last year, Colgate and international upcycling company TerraCycle created the Community Recycle Drive to encourage people to recycle their used oral care items.

April 22 of each year is World Earth Day. To commemorate the Earth Day of 2017, TerraCycle will invite New Zealanders to register as members of the recycling hubs and put their junk into the community for recycling.

A rural Waikato school has been gifted a park bench made entirely from recycled oral care waste. Tahuna School in Morrinsville was awarded the bench as part of the 2016 Colgate Community Recycle Drive. From June to August last year, Colgate and international upcycling company TerraCycle created the Community Recycle Drive to encourage people to recycle their used oral care items.

An international recycling company is putting a call out to Wanaka to get involved in its hard-to-recycle waste programme.

An international recycling company is putting a call out to Wanaka to get involved in its hard-to-recycle waste programme. - See more at: http://thewanakasun.co.nz/news/3672-terracycle-tackling-tricky-waste.html#sthash.D74vIo11.dpuf

An international recycling company is putting a call out to Wanaka to get involved in its hard-to-recycle waste programme.

A rural Waikato school has been gifted a park bench made entirely from recycled oral care waste. Tahuna School in Morrinsville was awarded the bench as part of the 2016 Colgate Community Recycle Drive. From June to August last year, Colgate and international upcycling company TerraCycle created the Community Recycle Drive to encourage people to recycle their used oral care items.