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Scaling Reuse Must Include Consensus on Safety, Design, Considerations for Cities

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Cities are complex ecosystems that both exacerbate and suffer from the scale of packaging waste. Standards for key areas of design, safety and city programming minimize risk, drive collaboration and provide trustworthy information for stewarding game-changing reuse strategies.

Our society has a longstanding relationship with and dependency on single-use products. Businesses and consumers alike are accustomed to its virtues of cost and convenience, making everyday items accessible to more people than ever before. But because of this reliance and focus on a system that takes, makes and wastes products after one use, few guidelines or blueprints for viable, sustainable alternatives — including reuse — exist in a usable format. Reuse models are growing across the modern economy, but they are fragmented such that they cannot achieve impact of scale. Without foundational guidelines to drive collaboration, standardization and defining of best practices, it would be near-impossible for new and emerging reuse models to effectively implement or accelerate for impact. But there’s a case for doing so. Reuse systems can reduce plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; and they are estimated to present a $10 billion business opportunity if only 20 percent of single-use packaging today were converted to reuse. So, how do we ensure everyone gets what they need out of their products — without the waste? Many would argue that ending packaging waste begins with design. Modern packages are lightweight, inexpensive and high-function (the world is used to the spouts, resealable closures, and easy-open tops of single-use containers), and literally designed to go in the trash. Defining the specifications of a package that can be physically and systematically reused is one of the first things to do. Then, determining exactly how many times said package can be cycled around (including collection, cleaning and refilling for the next person to enjoy) before it comes out superior to single-use demonstrates the value. The fewer times, the better; but a recommendation from an industry expert or experienced practitioner in the space can help businesses at different stages in their journey consider how and when reuse will work for them. There are a lot of ideas and concepts out there; but with so much work to do in solving single-use plastic waste, clear and consistent guardrails for reuse will steer the way for scaled, widespread adoption and impact. This is the purpose of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Consumers Beyond Waste (CBW) initiative’s community papers, released in conjunction with the WEF’s Sustainable Development Impact Summit during UN General Assembly week earlier this year. Featuring Design Guidelines, Safety Guidelines and The City Playbook, the documents are authored by a variety of contributors with a stake in the race to a less wasteful world; I am one of them — along with city officials, quality-assurance experts, retailers and many more leaders from the public and private sector. The papers offer a holistic view for reuse in different environments, as well as the different entry points for stakeholders along the supply chain. Offering recommendations based on experience, Loop has our own design guidelines for brands and manufacturers entering the platform — we recommend a product be able to withstand a minimum of 10 reuse cycles to qualify, and be recyclable into itself at the end of its life. Through this approach we have seen tremendous innovation, not just in sustainability but also in packaging design. Through reverse logistics, it’s possible to recover durable packaging forms in combinations of materials that improve functionality above and beyond the convenience of many single-use packages, such as a resealable food container or spring-loaded soap pump. Designing for reuse also includes the architecture of the systems packages flow through. Where Loop is a coalition of major consumer product companies and leading retailers working with trusted vendors to transport, clean, store and refill containers, it's a matter of front and backend design to enable a manufacturer to produce reusables that can be sold at any retailer for a consumer to buy and return anywhere, safely and conveniently. Where today’s largest scaled reuse model is pre-fill, which allows the consumer to buy filled products on a store shelf and return the empties into a bin (think beverages in Germany or propane tanks in the US), the challenge is that the models are incompatible: Empty propane tanks cannot be returned to the same location as an empty beer keg, and vice versa. Creating a “buy anywhere, return anywhere” ecosystem for reusables will make it easy for consumers to access, and businesses to sell. This, too, is a feat of design. Residents in Loop markets can now enter their favorite retailers and find a part of the store dedicated to reuse. With purchase, a deposit is paid, which is refunded in full upon return to any Loop retailer, putting this “waste” into a designated reuse bin versus a trash can or recycling bin. Just before the community papers I mentioned earlier, CBW released the Future of Reusable Consumption Models report, which outlined aspects of a “successful, large-scale, system-wide reuse paradigm.” One of these is consumer experience, where people have access to a variety of reusables that can compete with disposables on a number of scales, including convenience. People purchase consumables in a variety of settings, so it's important they have access to a variety of experiences. For grocery, we have Tesco in the UK; Carrefour in France; Aeon in Japan; and Walgreens and Kroger’s Fred Meyer banner coming soon in the US; and the biggest names in QSR (quick service restaurant): McDonald’s was the first to pilot the model in select stores in the UK, with Tim Horton’s in Canada and Burger King in several countries to follow. Which brings us to the matter of public health and safety, which have a great deal to do with packaging and systems design. Consumers need to know a system that circulates containers is safe and sanitary. Different product categories have different health and safety requirements — the food and beverage industry tends to have stricter standards than body care and cosmetics, for example. Packaging durability is a huge factor in designing for safety, as it impacts cleaning processes, degradation, and consumer safety and ease of use. If a package is cleaned 10 times at a certain temperature, materials must not prematurely degrade aesthetically or functionally; and if the type of material is one that might break with the consumer or along the route, design or logistics must allow it to do so safely; communications can support proper handling and education. Government plays a role in overseeing regulations for public health. As the Governor of the City of Tokyo stated in Loop and the World Economic Forum’s recent United Nations week press conference, “Large cities in developed countries, such as Tokyo, can make a significant impact on the global economy by playing a leading role,” noting reuse was standard in the region for glass bottles for beer, sake and more just 30 years ago. Cities are complex ecosystems that both exacerbate and suffer from the scale of the waste crisis. In the City Playbook, CBW notes some of the greatest challenges cities face are funding, infrastructure and institutional barriers; so, the consensus to pushing initiatives through includes seeking ways to answer big questions about viability and benefit. This is key to developing a roadmap for cities that is socially equitable, environmentally positive and safe. Examples of actions cities might take for the short term include aligning reuse with existing objectives (i.e. job creation and economic development) or testing reusables for city government administration (i.e. food service and cafeteria for public buildings), so as to engage policymakers, NGOs, local businesses, media, residents and the many other internal and external stakeholders towards the vision for a circular city. Points of consensus are milestones in the journey out of the waste crisis. Agreement on key areas of design, safety and city programming minimizes risk, drives collaboration and provides changemakers trustworthy information for stewarding reuse strategies and program development within organizations. There’s so much room for innovation; but to bring them to scale, actors must come together over a shared vision, with the resources to back it up.

The Future of Food Shopping Might Be Plastic-Free

TerraCycle Include USA Carrefour Tesco Loop Mcdonalds Kroger AEON Burger King Tim Hortons Global In-Store Launch

A new partnership between the nation’s largest grocery chain and a reusable packaging company could be a sign that waste-reduction efforts are finally moving past the pandemic-induced plastics boom.

Two years ago, efforts to kick the country’s plastic addiction were on fire. Municipalities around the country were implementing plastic bag taxes, while mainstream shoppers embraced reusable grocery bags and flocked to the bulk aisles for foods like beans and nuts.

However, all that came to a halt when stopping the spread of COVID-19 became the country’s top priority. Almost overnight, grocery stores closed their bulk-shopping sections, coffee shops stopped filling reusable coffee mugs, and individually wrapped everything took center stage. Now, signs are emerging that the fight against plastic is getting back on track. One of the most notable of those signs came from Kroger last month, when the nation’s largest grocery chain announced it was expanding an online trial with Loop, an online platform for refillable packaging, to 25 Fred Meyer store locations in Portland, Oregon. While consumer reuse models “got punched in the face” by the pandemic, Loop’s Tom Szaky said the demand is still there, and mainstream grocery stores are going to need to find a way to meet it. Kroger plans to offer a separate Loop aisle in these stores. The products, which will include a mix of items in food and other categories, can be bought in glass containers or aluminum boxes. When they’re empty, customers return the containers to the store to be cleaned and used again. Originally scheduled for this fall, the launch has been postponed to early 2022 because of supply chain challenges, but a spokesperson said they will continue to work with their brand partners to consider items that can be added to expand the program over time. The partnership is a heartening sign after a tough year, said Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle, the company behind the Loop initiative. “Overall, I was very worried that the pandemic would shift the conversation away from waste,” Szaky told Civil Eats. “It didn’t slow down. In fact, the environmental movement’s only gotten stronger.” While consumer reuse models—reusable grocery bags, refillable coffee mugs—“got punched in the face,” he said, it was mainly because retailers stopped allowing them for safety reasons. And while Loop’s growth was slowed by the pandemic, it was for the same factors that upended many companies’ plans—not because interest was drying out, said Szaky. The demand is still there, he adds, and he’s bullish on the idea that mainstream grocery stores are going to need to find a way to meet it. The Kroger–Loop partnership could be the first true test of this theory. It’s the latest in a steady string of new partnerships for Loop, but until now all of the company’s U.S. packaging partners have been in other categories, such as cosmetics and cleaning products. Loop does work with a number of food companies outside the country, including Woolworths in New Zealand, Tesco in the U.K., Aeon in Japan, and Carrefour in France. Szaky says they’re also working with a grocery store in France to bring reusable packaging to fish and meat. Loop, which also works with Walgreens in the U.S. and fast food chains McDonald’s, Burger King, and Canada-based Tim Hortons, expects nearly 200 stores and restaurants worldwide to be selling products in reusable packages by the first quarter of 2022, according to the Associated Press, up from a dozen stores in Paris at the end of last year. Some experts in the space are convinced that more will follow. “It’s just a matter of time before other companies come on board,” says Colleen Henn, founder of All Good Goods, a plastic-free pantry subscription business based in San Clemente, California that sells food in reusable glass jars and paper bags. “Once somebody does it, people start to see, ‘Oh, avoiding single-use plastic is] not that complicated.’ Because it’s really not.” She would know. Henn didn’t spend the last year adapting her business; she first launched her seemingly improbable business model during—and really because of—the pandemic. She had grown frustrated that the country’s waste-reduction initiatives were falling by the wayside. “I went online and tried to find a store that shipped food to your door without plastic, and I couldn’t find it. So I created it,” said Henn. All Good Goods specializes in pantry goods like beans and pasta, nuts and dried fruit, and growth has been strong and steady since the launch. She increasingly fields phone calls from other stores looking for advice on how to avoid plastic in their operations, and as she engages with more companies, she’s optimistic that she will have a trickle-up effect within the industry. “I reach out to brands [we’re considering carrying] and see what their wholesale options are; if they’re not paper-based, if they’re not backyard-biodegradable, we move on,” said Henn.

“My theory is that I’m doing my job in telling big companies that this is what consumers want. We’re just a drop in the bucket, I fully acknowledge that, but we’re doing our part to communicate this need and this want from consumers,” she said. “We’re constantly urging bigger food brands to offer a bulk wholesale option.” The growth in concern from customers—driven largely by the increase in public awareness of the world’s waste crisis and plastic’s long-term impacts like microplastic pollution in the oceans, in addition to mounting evidence about health impacts from substances like phthalates and bisphenols that can leach from plastic into food—is clear. In 2019, Trader Joe’s announced that it would reduce plastic in its stores. Now, according to the sustainability page on the national chain’s website, the packaging for more than 150 products in store now uses more recycled or “sustainably sourced materials,” or have fewer excess components. A spokesperson for the store also told Civil Eats that “customers can expect an update sometime in early 2022.” Whole Foods Market, which some expect to lead the industry on waste reduction given its positioning on sustainability, declined an interview for this story. But a spokesperson said the retailer has launched a reusable container pilot in response to customer interest. In two stores in Boulder, Colorado, the spokesperson said customers can pay a deposit for a reusable glass container, fill it with prepared or bulk foods, and return the container after use for the store to inspect, clean and sanitize. (Whole Foods also piloted a reusable container program in San Rafael, California, in 2019, but that has since ended.)

When Whole Foods stopped using disposable plastic grocery bags in 2008, the company was a national leader among national grocery chains. However, it continues to use plastic bags and packaging within the store for foods like produce and meat. The company spokesperson said they have reduced the waste footprint of those items but declined to say whether those efforts have reduced the company’s total plastic footprint. The grocer may have also introduced plastic in new places throughout the store in recent years, such as the safety seal on some yogurt containers, which was transitioned from foil to plastic, but the spokesperson would not comment, nor would they say whether there are plans to scale the pilot or implement any other reusable systems in the future. Jerusha Klemperer, director of FoodPrint, a non-profit dedicated to research and education on food production practices, reflected on the shift from companies like Trader Joe’s, and the consumer pressure on companies like Whole Foods. “The only reason [companies like] Trader Joe’s would make that commitment is that they heard customers complaining. I do think there’s evidence that people want more of this—but they have to see it offered, and they can’t have to work extra hard to make it happen.” That is the philosophy that Szaky has applied to Loop, and what makes the Kroger announcement so significant. By designing refillable systems to resemble the traditional shopping experience as closely as possible, proponents say, they are more likely to attract more customers to sign on. “It’s exciting because it marks the first major step as retailers take the reins. It also is a really conducive way to do reuse. Customers can go to Kroger, buy a product, and on their next trip drop off the empties,” said Szaky. “For reuse to grow, it has to be as convenient as disposable; customers need to be able to buy it anywhere and return anywhere. The more robust and developed that network is, the stronger it becomes.” Plastic-free vs. Waste-free

Loop’s expansion, while noteworthy for waste reduction advocates, points to some underlying questions that companies, consumers, and regulators still need to grapple with. Loop itself does not design packaging options. It leaves that to the companies making the products, and steps in to approve specific packaging types for durability once they’ve been developed (and it does offer some hand-holding for that process). Loop’s lineup includes a lot of glass and aluminum, but it also includes plastic packaging at a time when many scientists and environmentalists have grown increasingly vocal about the need to shift away from plastic entirely.

“It’s not, to me, about plastic or no plastic. It’s about the role of recycling, degradability, reuse—and it’s the systems we need to look at, not necessarily what’s at play on top of the systems,” he said. “So many companies are interested in compostable packaging, but the thing that no one’s solving for is that most [municipal composters] don’t want them.”

Compostable packages aren’t a great solution on the production side either, if they’re made from plants grown in industrial monocrop systems like corn, said Klemperer. Many types of paper-based packaging have their own problems, such as being lined with PFAS or associated with deforestation. More fundamentally, all of these replacements perpetuate disposable culture and do little to encourage behavior change, which experts say is the only real solution . Fortunately, Klemperer thinks that where traction is gaining most is in refillable packaging. Where she would also like to see rapid action across the industry, she said, is in the reduction of excess packaging—produce pre-packaged on Styrofoam trays wrapped in plastic, for example. “It seems like there are certain products where eliminating packaging would be the easiest, lowest-hanging fruit,” she said. Why Is Food Behind the Refillable Curve?

It’s unclear why food has lagged behind products such as bath and cleaning products in the adoption of refillable and plastic-free packaging. But it’s likely in part due to heightened regulations, for food safety in general and COVID in particular.

“We had to spend time with the health department training them on how we can do this without plastic, because nobody else was doing it,” said All Good Goods’ Henn, whose background in water quality science may have proved to be an advantage. But it was ultimately achievable: “What I kept coming back to is that we were just returning to the old way of doing things. We’re big fans of the milkman, and we’re basically trying to recreate that online,” she said.

“A lot of very large food companies are talking about plastic, but they need to rethink how they’re doing business. I think we should be a little inconvenienced, at this point, for the greater good.”

She thinks that food safety, though, can’t be the only reason that food companies are lagging behind others on packaging. More intangible factors are the larger hurdles: Disposability is embedded into the modern supply chain, and adoption of reusable packaging requires a fundamental shift in mindset from corporate leadership and a major overhaul of logistics within the supply chain, said Henn. The fact that it is not easier to find bulk plastic-free pantry products is a perfect example, she said—her entire business essentially relies on ordering products at the same scale that restaurants do, which is nothing new for the supply chain. Yet many large food companies still can’t accommodate her plastic-free criteria. At the same time, she has found companies that make it possible—Lundberg, for example, delivers bulk rice in paper bags. And some wholesalers even collect and refill their own bulk packaging. “That’s the thing,” said Henn. “A lot of very large food companies are talking about plastic, but they need to rethink how they’re doing business.” She’s clear that will not always be an easy task, but she adds: “I think we should be a little inconvenienced, at this point, for the greater good.”

Pure Encapsulations Partners with TerraCycle to Improve Recycling Options for Supplements

TerraCycle Include USA Pure Encapsulations US

Through TerraCycle, packaging from the company’s various brands will be easily recyclable, even without community/curbside recycling programs.

Pure Encapsulations and its affiliated brands have partnered with international recycling company TerraCycle to launch a program that will increase the recycling of its packaging. “Pure Encapsulations is committed to a greener future, including leading the way in recyclable packaging design and reducing packaging waste. However, not all packaging components are curbside recyclable and not all consumers have access to community recycling services,” Dr. Barry Ritz, VP of science, regulatory, and innovation, said. “Through this partnership with TerraCycle, more of our customers will now have the opportunity to send in these packaging materials to be recycled.” Consumers who wihs to recycle their packaging can sign up for the company’s Beyond Recycling Program on the program page. Once enrolled, consumers can begin collecting any packaging components from Pure Encapsulations, Douglas Laboratories, Klean Athlete, Genestra Brands, Pharmax, UNDA, and Wobenzym, and download a pre-paid shipping label to send to TerraCycle for recycling. All packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be molded to make new recycled products, such as park benches and picnic tables. As an added incentive, for every shipment, consumers earn points through Terracycle’s recycling program which can be used for charity gifts or converted to cash to be donated to a non-profit, school, or charitable organization of their choice. “For many, nutritional health products are an important part of one’s daily routine, but few people consider what happens to the packaging once all the product is gone,” Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO and founder, said. “With the Pure Encapsulations and Beyond Recycling Program, Pure Encapsulations has considered the end-of-life options for their packaging and partnered with TerraCycle to help ensure that it never sees the landfill.”

One Good Thing: Recycling wins local school 1st place

TerraCycle Include USA Colgate/Meijer

They recycled more than 400 pounds of dental waste.

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Time for One Good Thing -- someone or something that makes West Michigan a good place to live. Big shout out today to a local school that won an award - and some serious prizes - for recycling.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School in Belmont recently won the grand prize in the 2021 Colgate and Meijer School Challenge. They were able to recycle more than 20,000 pieces of dental waste, which totaled more than 400 pounds! That included used toothbrushes, empty toothpaste tubes and empty floss containers.

The competition was open to schools in six different states. Assumption was number one. They received $53,000 worth of upcycled and recycled desks, backpacks, pens and more.

"I am so proud of this community for making a commitment to recycling and respecting Earth, our common home," said Principal Domenic Fraconi. "These used dental products are not typically recycled or thought of as being recyclable. We used this challenge as an opportunity to educate others, as well as be a good neighbor."

Congrats and One Good Thing to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School in Belmont for their recycling efforts and competition win.

Dunkin' at home offers national recycling program for coffee bags

TerraCycle Include USA Dunkin'

Dunkin’ coffee at home is teaming up with international recycling leader, TerraCycle, to deepen their commitment to sustainability and help reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills. Through the Dunkin’ Coffee Bag Recycling Program, consumers are invited to send in their used Dunkin’ flexible ground coffee bags and whole bean coffee bags to be recycled for free.

“We are very excited to launch this partnership with TerraCycle! Creating a more sustainable future is a significant priority for the Dunkin’ brand as well as our consumers,” said Lee Lust, Brand Director for Dunkin’ at The J.M. Smucker Co.

Participation in the Dunkin’ Coffee Bag Recycling Program is simple: sign up on the TerraCycle program page at https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/dunkin and mail in empty Dunkin’ flexible coffee bags using the provided prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products.

Additionally, for every shipment sent to TerraCycle through the recycling program, collectors earn points that can be donated to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice.

“At TerraCycle, we understand American’s love affair with a great cup of coffee — we share the sentiment,” said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle Founder and CEO. “But through the Dunkin’ Coffee Bag Recycling Program, coffee lovers can enjoy their favorite pick-me-up, easily reduce waste, all without sacrificing the enjoyment of their favorite brew.”

Any interested individual, school, office, or community organization can participate in the Dunkin’ Coffee Bag Recycling Program. To learn more about TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit www.terracycle.com.

DUNKIN’ CUSTOMERS CAN NOW RECYCLE THEIR COFFEE BAGS

TerraCycle Include USA Dunkin'

Dunkin’® At Home Coffee is teaming up with international recycling leader, TerraCycle®, to deepen their commitment to sustainability and help reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills. Through the Dunkin’ Coffee Bag Recycling Program, consumers are invited to send in their used Dunkin’ flexible ground coffee bags and whole bean coffee bags to be recycled for free via https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/dunkin. Once collected, the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products. Additionally, for every shipment sent to TerraCycle through the recycling program, collectors earn points that can be donated to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice.

Dunkin' Announces At Home Recycling Program

TerraCycle Include USA Dunkin'

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Most Americans wouldn’t dream of getting out of bed without a cup of joe but did you know that global coffee production generates as much as 23 million tons (equivalent to 65 Empire State Buildings) of waste per year?

Dunkin' at home Announces National Recycling Program in Partnership with TerraCycle

In response, today Dunkin’, America’s favorite coffee and baked goods chain, announced the launch of a free, national recycling program for select flexible coffee bags, in partnership with international recycling leader TerraCycle®. The newly announced recycling program will give coffee lovers across the country the opportunity to easily send in Dunkin' flexible coffee bags to be properly disposed of and recycled. For every shipment sent to TerraCycle through the recycling program, collectors earn points that can be donated to a non-profit, school, or charitable organization of their choice.

TerraCycle launches Canada’s first national recycling solution for e-cigarettes and nicotine vape pods

TerraCycle Include USA Smoke Free Recycling Program

October 20, 2021 by Agility PR Solutions

TORONTO, October 19, 2021 – TerraCycle, the international recycling leader known for recycling the unrecyclable, has announced the launch of a free national recycling program to address vaporizer-related e-cigarette waste. Having pioneered a ground-breaking recycling solution for cigarette waste over a decade ago, TerraCycle has now turned its attention to the growing popularity of vaporizers and the risks the associated waste poses to the environment as litter, with the launch of the Smoke-Free Recycling Program. Through this ground-breaking initiative, consumers are invited to send in HEET Sticks, along with their flexible packaging, VEEV devices and all brands of vaporizer cartridges and pods to be recycled for free. Participation in the program is easy: sign up on the TerraCycle program page here and mail in the waste using a prepaid shipping label. Additionally, consumers will be able to drop off products in receptacles placed in select retail locations later this year. Once collected, the waste is repurposed to make new products from the recycled material. However, since the recycling process for vaporizer cartridges and pods is still an unknown given their complex material composition and the presence of residual nicotine, TerraCycle has committed to collecting the waste and conducting research and development trials in effort to develop an industry first recycling solution. “Through this innovative, first of its kind program, HEET Sticks, VEEV devices and all brands of vaporizer cartridges and pods and their associated packaging are now nationally recyclable through the Smoke-Free Recycling Program,” said TerraCycle CEO and founder Tom Szaky. “By taking on the growing issue of non-combustible cigarettes and introducing a full-scale R&D trial for vaporizer cartridges and pods, we are showing we are committed to doing something about this growing waste stream and leading by example.”

While cigarette-related waste is still the most common form of litter in Canada, disposable vapes and cartridges are a growing category. The launch of this new recycling program is a proactive solution to protect the environment against any plastic, hazardous, and electronic waste present in the devices. The Smoke-Free Recycling Program is open to any interested individual (19 years old and above), office, or community organization. For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit www.TerraCycle.ca.

About TerraCycle Canada TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste. Operating nationally across 20 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers and cities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. Its new division, Loop, is the first shopping system that gives consumers a way to shop for their favorite brands in durable, reusable packaging. TerraCycle has won over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding more than 15 years ago and was named #10 in Fortune magazine’s list of 52 companies Changing the World. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.ca.

TerraCycle launches Canada's first nationwide e-cig and vape pod recycling solution

TerraCycle Include USA Smoke Free Recycling Program

TerraCycle has launched a free national recycling program to address vaporizer-related e-cigarette waste. Having created a recycling solution for cigarette waste over a decade ago, TerraCycle has now turned its attention to the growing popularity of vaporizers and the risks the associated waste poses to the environment as litter, with the launch of the Smoke-Free Recycling Program.

Through this initiative, consumers are invited to send in HEET Sticks, along with their flexible packaging, VEEV devices and all brands of vaporizer cartridges and pods to be recycled for free. Consumers will be able to drop off products in receptacles placed in select retail locations later this year. Once collected, the waste is repurposed to make new products from the recycled material. However, since the recycling process for vaporizer cartridges and pods is still an unknown given their complex material composition and the presence of residual nicotine, TerraCycle has committed to collecting the waste and conducting research and development trials in effort to develop a solution. While cigarette-related waste is still the most common form of litter in Canada, disposable vapes and cartridges are a growing category. The launch of this new recycling program is a proactive solution to protect the environment against any plastic, hazardous, and electronic waste present in the devices.

Loop Hopes to Mainstream With Reusable Packaging

Include USA Loop Multiple Brand Hit – Global In-Store Announcement

Reusable packaging __ from stainless steel ice cream containers to glass jars of soap __ is about to become more common at groceries and restaurants worldwide. Loop, a two-year-old company that collects and sanitizes reusable containers, said Wednesday it’s expanding after successful trials at groceries in France and Japan. Kroger and Walgreens in the U.S., Tesco in the United Kingdom and Woolworths in Australia are among the chains partnering with Loop to sell household staples in reusable packages. McDonald’s, Burger King and Tim Hortons have also signed on. In all, Loop says, 191 stores and restaurants worldwide will be selling products in reusable packages by the first quarter of 2022, up from just a dozen stores in Paris at the end of 2020. Grocery stores will have a special Loop area, where manufacturers __ from independent brands to big players like Nestle __ have packaged pantry items, household cleaners and other products in reusable containers. More than 150 manufacturers will be participating worldwide by early next year, selling 375 products. Customers pay a deposit __ ranging from 15 cents for a bottle of Coca-Cola to $10 for a stainless steel container of Clorox wipes __in addition to the price of their item. When customers are finished with the container, they can return it to the store and get their deposit refunded through Loop’s app. Loop collects the containers, cleans them and returns them to manufacturers to be refilled. Fast food outlets __ including a handful of Burger Kings in New York, Tim Hortons in Toronto and McDonald’s in the U.K. __ will also distribute and collect reusable coffee cups and sandwich holders made from sturdy plastic. Reusable packaging is well-developed in other industries, like automotive, said Cimberly Weir, an outreach coordinator and instructor at Michigan State University’s School of Packaging. But to her knowledge, Loop is the first to try this with consumer products. “We are the ones who are responsible for actually getting that product returned,” she said. “So it’s putting a lot more pressure on everyday citizens to do their part.” While Loop’s approach is unique, it’s one of many ongoing efforts to eliminate packaging waste. Lego said last year it would remove plastic packaging from its play sets. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper have invested millions to improve the recycling and processing of their plastic bottles. Amazon encourages customers to get their items shipped in fewer boxes; the company says it has eliminated 1 million tons of packaging since 2015. Loop __ a division of New Jersey-based recycling company TerraCycle __ is actually an old idea, says TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky. Before the 1950s, products were made to last, but they’ve gotten thinner and cheaper in the decades since, he said. “We’re hitting the apex of that now, and people are fed up with that trend,” Szaky said. “There’s a huge attraction to the idea of higher quality and materials.” That’s true for Chris Critchett, 66, who was browsing the Loop aisle in a Tesco store in Milton Keynes, England, earlier this week. “I think lemonade bottles used to be like that when I was younger, so I think it’s quite a good idea,” Critchett said. “It’s just trying to get people to actually do it, so they work it into their shopping system.” Szaky said the company sees around 80% of the packaging returned within 60 days of purchase. In some cases, he said, consumers may just be keeping the packaging and reusing it themselves. Szaky said every country in which Loop operates has a dedicated cleaning facility as well as smaller facilities where packaging can be stored before cleaning. He recognizes that transporting all that material has an environmental impact, but he says reusing a container dozens of times is still less harmful than repeatedly extracting material from the earth to make new packaging. Loop gets its funding from the fees it charges to its corporate partners. It’s not yet making a profit, Szaky said, but expects to within two years. Keith Daley, chief impact officer at Kroger, the largest U.S. grocer, said his company signed on with Loop to help meet a multi-year commitment to reduce waste. In October, Kroger will launch a six-month Loop pilot at 25 Fred Meyer stores in the Portland, Oregon, area. Dedicated Loop aisles will display 20 separate items, including some of Kroger’s own products. Loop ambassadors will explain the program to customers. “We fundamentally believe that this is one of those potentially game-changing ideas,” Daley said. Loop had hoped to be in 1,000 stores and restaurants by this time, but the pandemic slowed its progress. Still, Szaky said demand for Loop remained even as stores shut down other waste-saving measures like communal bins for pantry staples. Weir said a major turning point for the packaging industry came in 2006, when Walmart announced it would start grading suppliers on the sustainability of their packaging. Interest in sustainability has only grown since then, Weir said. She sees it at Michigan State’s packaging school __ the nation’s largest __ where nearly all of the 600 students cite the environment as a reason they’re in the program. Matt Casale, the environment campaign director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, agrees that bringing reusable packaging into the mainstream is important. But he also wishes society would think more deeply about all the stuff that is made, packaged and shipped. PIRG backs laws like one that recently passed in Maine, which charges manufacturers who create packaging a fee that is used to boost recycling. It also supports state bans on single-use plastic bags and polystyrene food containers, which have passed in Colorado and several other states. “That’s going to be our 21st century challenge __ rethinking the way we do everything, to make it make sense on a very small planet with a lot of people living on it,” Casale said.