A new recycling initiative in partnership with TerraCycle, select Taco Bell® locations, alongside several community spaces all located throughout Mercer County, including Trenton’s 590 S Broad Street Taco Bell location, are helping to divert used hot sauce packets away from landfills. “This recycling initiative empowers local Taco Bell® locations and community spaces to promote sustainable initiatives in their own towns while encouraging residents to take an active role in helping to preserve the environment,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “Our aim is to provide an opportunity for entire communities like Trenton to collect waste and be part of the solution to keep these packets out of landfills and the environment.” With 8.2 billion Taco Bell hot sauce packets used each year in the U.S., this pilot program aims to give packets a spicier new life as a new recycled product. “Through this recycling initiative, we seek to empower local communities to take action to keep empty sauce packets out of landfills and the environment, ensuring the waste is given a second life. At the end of the program, the collected sauce packet material will be recycled into picnic tables to be donated to local parks throughout Mercer County,” said Zachary Dominitz, TerraCycle’s Senior Vice President of Account Management. This program will be available through Earth Day (April 22, 2022), and consumers are encouraged to bring all brands and types of empty, used sauce packets to participating drop-off sites for recycling. Once collected, the waste will be sent to TerraCycle, where it will be cleaned and melted into hard plastic and remolded into new recycled products. To get classmates, friends, family members, and neighbors involved in the program, participants are encouraged to share online how they are recycling with #RecycleYourSauce. “By partnering with TerraCycle, we have found a unique way to extend the life cycle of Taco Bell’s hot sauce packets and increase recycling in our restaurants. We’re aiming to improve recycling rates through education and engagement, so this partnership is giving our fans the knowledge and access to recycle the hot sauce packets they love,” said Missy Schaaphok, Taco Bell’s Director of Global Nutrition & Sustainability. To search for the nearest participating location in Mercer County to recycle sauce packets, visit https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/pages/taco-bell-pilot-locations.

Written By Campbell Fauber for Our Sustainable Future

Drawn by Eleni Beaumont, OSF Co-Founder

Sustainability is something we should all strive for, whether it be at home, school, or the grocery store. Even though being 100% sustainable isn’t always possible, still taking part, even in small ways, is so worth it! So put away perfection and do what you can to educate yourself on the various ways you can make a positive difference in your community and on the planet. Here is a list of my favorite sustainable products that I use every day with links to check them out!

Plaine Products Hand Soap, Body Wash, and Hand Lotion

Plaine Products is my go-to sustainable hygiene brand. Not only is their packaging made from 100% recycled material, but their products are also vegan, biodegradable, all-natural, and cruelty-free. The products I mentioned above come in a metal bottle (instead of single-use plastic) and can even be sent back to the company for reuse later on. I highly recommend checking out Plaine Products!

Hydro Flask

Okay, I’ll admit it. I am a little basic because I own a Hydro Flask. But seriously, these water bottles are amazing, and not just because they keep your water cold! Hydro Flasks are metal bottles that are perfect for people who love cold, refreshing water. They are also a great alternative to single-use plastic bottles, which are downright awful for the environment. Keeping your water cold and helping the planet? It’s a win-win for me!

Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste & Mouthwash

Every morning and every evening I use my Tom’s of Maine toothpaste and mouthwash to keep my chompers squeaky clean. I made the switch in mid-2021 because I didn’t like all the artificial ingredients in my typical toothpaste and mouthwash. When I made the switch, I was ecstatic! I learned that their toothpaste tubes are recyclable and that Tom’s is partnered with TerraCycle to help everyday consumers like you and me recycle personal care packaging that isn’t traditionally accepted through curbside recycling. Every Tom’s of Maine oral hygiene product is made with all-natural ingredients and free from artificial colors and dyes.

Food52 Reusable Food Storage Containers

If I’m being honest, my reusable Food52 food storage containers always come in handy. They’re perfect for storing different types of food, whether it’s popcorn, pancakes, or soup. Sustainability-wise, they are perfect for people who want to ditch single-use storage containers or ones that are made from plastic; the ones I own are reusable as well as dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe. I highly recommend checking out the Food52 website to explore all of your options!

Dropp’s Laundry Pods

I saved the best product for last: Dropp’s Laundry Pods! I use them whenever I do laundry and, wow, are they incredible. The ingredients used in their laundry pods are ethically sourced, clean, and safe both for you and the environment. Their packaging is also eco-friendly; it’s made out of cardboard, the paper tape they use on their packaging is compostable, and their shipping labels are recyclable and compostable. Another perk is that their laundry pods come in many different scents and sizes; there are also different pods for people with sensitive skin and for those who work out and sweat a lot. From one Dropp’s lover to hopefully another (yes, you), their laundry pods are perfect for people who wants to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives!

  Tom Szaky started TerraCycle to reaffirm his belief that Nothing is Waste and to give waste a second life through recycling  By Bismita Rabha   In the recent decades, there has been a considerable change in the youth’s mindset towards private businesses. More start-up companies have mushroomed, driving the economy, creating employment, and producing waste. When combined with the pre-existing corporations that used more conventional ways of production, the waste ending up in landfills has reached unimaginable levels in the 21st century. With more emphasis on climate action by people, a wave of change is on its way.   Determined to take environmental responsibility seriously, Tom Szaky started TerraCycle - a recycle solution for every kind of waste, even the ones with a “nonrecyclable” label. Redefining the concept of waste and encouraging waste to be given a second life through recycling.   Princeton University dining hall: The birthplace of an idea In spite of dealing in millions presently, TerraCycle started out as a vermicomposting model. Tom reminisces about the time when he conceptualised the business. “I got the idea for TerraCycle as a college freshman at Princeton University in 2001. The original business model was vermicomposting (converting food waste into worm poop), packaging it in used soda bottles and selling the resulting fertiliser. I sourced the food waste from the Princeton dining hall’s leftovers and in order to find a larger supply of packaging, I recruited the help of local students to collect used soda bottles - essentially creating a precursor to our current free recycling programs which student organisations and community groups use as a fundraising activity.”   TerraCycle no longer produces fertiliser, but has pioneered recycling solutions for some of the world’s toughest garbage problems, proving that everything is technically ‘recyclable’ and developing solutions for nearly every waste stream you can think of, including drink pouches, used toothbrushes, cigarette butts and even dirty diapers! In short, TerraCycle takes waste that is not recyclable through conventional methods (i.e. your municipality’s curbside recycling program) and turns it into raw material that is then used to make new products.   No trade-offs  With more than 10 years’ worth of hard-work and innovation, TerraCycle is now operational in 21 countries which includes the UK, Brazil, France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia. However, reaching this milestone has not been a smooth road. “Despite being on the verge of bankruptcy only one year into starting the business, I turned down a million-dollar grand prize from the Carrot Capital Business Plan,” says Tom, as the investors were keen on reducing the company’s focus on the sustainable actions and suggested firing the staff that helped him build the enterprise. After turning down the winnings, adversity sparked innovation and TerraCycle’s breakthrough came in 2004 when The Home Depot and Walmart started selling their little-known “wormpoop” fertiliser in re-used soda bottles.   TerraCycle has always strived to “eliminate the idea of waste,” and for all these years of operation, they have been supporting this mission by offering consumers and the (CPG) viable solutions, many of which were previously unavailable, to recycle packaging waste.   To date, over 200 million people worldwide have collected nearly 7.8 billion pieces of pre- and postconsumer waste and over US$ 44 million has been donated to schools and nonprofits.   “TerraCycle’s ultimate measure of success is not just greater access to recycling, it is the universal adaptation of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” adage we were taught as children,” shares Tom.   TerraCycle acknowledges the challenge of waste not being handled properly and recycling units not being enough. Moreover, they consider recycling a “band-aid to the global waste crisis.” There is no “silver bullet” to realise the vision of “eliminating the idea of waste.” It is a process that requires generous contribution from everyone.   Reducing consumption, investing in reusable packaging technology, and when materials can no longer be reused, recycling them is the solution. TerraCycle’s vision of success synthesises these approaches in pursuit of a truly “circular” economy in which resources are reused continually rather than being disposed of after a single use.   Looping in  TerraCycle is reaching newer dimensions with its work. Tom informs, “As we move forward as a brand, we will continue to implement new programs that build towards this idea of a circular economy. The launch of Loop in-store, the first-ever circular shopping system, enables consumers to shop for their favourite products in reusable, not disposable packaging.” It is a sustainable, zero-waste version of shopping for your daily needs like food, personal care, household goods and other supplies.   In the Loop store, you can return all their durable packaging once you have finished the product, and Loop will clean, refill and reuse all of it. A number of brands like Coca Cola, Heinz, Dr. Will’s and more are partnering with Loop to make eco-conscious consumption simpler. Other than that, emerging business units include TerraCycle Home, which offers food waste collection and composting services as well as recycling services for items not accepted in local recycling programs; TerraCycle Made, that makes products out of materials the company recycled, will also create more opportunities for the consumer to lead more sustainable lives. »  

CONTENT: COHEN, GAILLARD, 'ZERO WASTE FACE' PHIL LIPOF (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Yeah, there you go. all right, doctor thanks. Turning now to a growing concern these days. Plastic waste. In many parts of our lives we've made choices to reduce it, using refillable water bottles, switching to paper straws. But, there are still some items that don't, you don't always think about, products flying under, we'll call it, the recycling radar. ABC News Chief Meteorologist, Ginger Zee, joins us now with more on all of that. Ginger, how are you? GRAPHICS: SINCE 1960 THE WASTE IN PLASTIC HAS RAPIDLY INCREASED, THE US IS NUMBER 1 IN PLASTIC WASTE GRAPHICS: MORE THAN 92 BILLION LB. THROWN OUT IN 2016, 2 TIMES CHINA'S NUMBERS, UP TO 80% OF IT WAS SINGLE USE GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) I'm well, thank you. And you know me. My laundry detergent is plastic free. I haven't used a plastic bag or even a paper one at the grocery store in a decade. But, you go in my bathroom or my makeup bag, a lot of it is plastic. Turns out though, it is not as difficult as we think to get closer to what I call a "Zero waste face." Our world is inundated with plastic. Especially in the bathroom. Plastic. Plastic. Plastic. Plastic. Plastic. Since 1960, the use and most importantly the waste in plastic has rapidly increased and well, yeah, it's a global problem, the United States is number one in plastic waste. We threw out more than 92 billion pounds of plastic in 2016 alone, that's almost two-times China's number and up to 80% of it was single use. JULIA COHEN (CO-FOUNDER PLASTIC POLLUTION COALITION) Ninety-nine percent of plastic comes from fossil fuels and I don't think when most people when they're buying a beauty product even think about the packaging. But, a majority of personal care products come in plastic going into the oceans, going into our environment. It's a crisis. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) And anything smaller than a credit card really has a tough time being recycled. All of the caps, the pumps, the tubes, they clog up recycle machines, or a lot of it just isn't recycled in the first place. JULIA COHEN (CO-FOUNDER PLASTIC POLLUTION COALITION) Putting things in the bin makes us feel better, but less than 9 percent of plastic is recycled. we're not going to recycle our way out of this problem. GRAPHICS: 600 TONS SINCE 2001 GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Voiceover) And sure, there are options for plastic that doesn't recycle easily like the company TerraCycle. They've process more than 600 tons of beauty produce waste alone since they started in 2001. But companies like TerraCycle are not as accessible as curbside recycling and it doesn't eliminate the demand for new packaging. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) So, it really is about reducing the amount of plastic we think we need. So, I'm taking my makeup case right here to The Detox Market so that they can help me out and reduce my waste. ROMAIN GAILLARD (FOUNDER THE DETOX MARKET) We started The Detox Market like ten years ago and the idea was that beauty needed to be cleaner and more sustainable. Ten years later, we have a lot of choices. What I have seen changing is first multiplication of the number of companies that also use focus from consumers. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Voiceover) Time for a challenge. The expert of The Detox Market finding ways to slash waste from my makeup routine. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Traci, please, tell me you have swaps. TRACI BAKER (GENERAL MANAGER THE DETOX MARKET) I definitely have swaps for you. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Moisturizer. TRACI BAKER (GENERAL MANAGER THE DETOX MARKET) Glass and refillable. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Okay, eye shadow. TRACI BAKER (GENERAL MANAGER THE DETOX MARKET) This is 100 percent recyclable. This is made out of paper and you just pop the pan out and recycle it when you are done. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Lip balms. TRACI BAKER (GENERAL MANAGER THE DETOX MARKET) So, I have this super chic refillable case that you can put your lip balm in. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) You do that for lipstick? TRACI BAKER (GENERAL MANAGER THE DETOX MARKET) Yeah, even better, you just take the lipstick and pop it in here. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) There are swaps for hair too, shampoo and conditioner come in bars. And there are some brands that sell refills. And I know what you're thinking when you see all of this cha-ching. TRACI BAKER (GENERAL MANAGER THE DETOX MARKET) The initially cost is going to be a little more, because you are purchasing the cases, but after that it's going to be a lot less money. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Voiceover) Going completely zero waste seems intimidating, I'm sure, but think of it as progress not perfection. ROMAIN GAILLARD (FOUNDER THE DETOX MARKET) It's not about being 100 percent perfect, no one is perfect. I'm not perfect. The Detox Market is not perfect. But, you can slowly make those changes and when you run out of a product, say, "Okay, maybe there's a sustainable version of this," and there is. PHIL LIPOF (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Yeah, and you shoot for the prefect, I think that's the deal. But, Ginger, it's pretty clear by that our recycling system is flawed. So, please boil it down for us. What's the big takeaway? What can we do to avoid throwing products that ultimately can be recycled? GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) So, "What You Need to Know" is that we vote with our dollar. When you buy something wrapped in plastic, you are supporting fossil fuels and I think that gets missed in a lot of it. So, the plastic waste is horrible. But, remember what you are supporting and then, there's some really easy swaps. And they don't really mean you have to suffer convenience and sometimes they're even cheaper. GRAPHICS: SIMPLE SUSTAINABLE SWAPS GRAPHICS: SWITCH FROM LIQUID TO BAR SOAP GRAPHICS: SEEK OUT RECYCLABLE OR REFILLABLE PACKAGING GRAPHICS: SKIP THE MAKEUP WIPES GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) So, here are a couple of ideas for you. You can switch from liquid soap and shampoo even and conditioner to bars and they work, like the formulas work really well. That almost has no packaging. Secondly, look for recyclable, refillable packaging and then if it has to be a package, Doctor Jen you were asking this, glass is better? Absolutely, glass recycles so easy. Aluminum recycles, so think about that and paper of course. And then finally, my favorite, skip the wipes. Why do we use these plastic wipes. It's like getting rid of cigarettes, like you buy a pack a month $5 to $10. That money goes back in your pocket. PHIL LIPOF (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Yeah. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) You use the reusable round rounds or a washcloth. DOCTOR JENNIFER ASHTON (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) What? GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) I know. But, but, these are the things we have gotten into the habit of doing. DOCTOR JENNIFER ASHTON (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Yeah. PHIL LIPOF (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Yeah. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) And it's just a little reset of the brain, you know, we're not going back to Laura Ingalls Wilder, necessarily. But, some of that stuff worked for a reason DOCTOR JENNIFER ASHTON (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) This is amazing. Bar soap for me. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) You got it. Bar shampoo. Let's go. PHIL LIPOF (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) And, and really start, start in one place and then venture out. GINGER ZEE (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Yeah. It's fun and, and wait until you see what you can make as an impact just in your life. Think of how many mascara tubes you have used, I mean, that of that alone.