The retailer has partnered with TerraCycle to create BeautyCycle, an in-store depository that will ensure your empties actually get recycled.
Have you ever noticed how many words us beauty people have for using up our products? There's "hit pan," which is code for cleaning out a shade in a makeup palette. There's also "empties," a cutesy way of saying you've used your products until the last drop. But the important part, at least where Mother Earth is concerned, is what comes next – and it may not be what you think.
As we reported early this year, throwing empty products in your blue recycling bin with the best of intentions unfortunately isn't enough to ensure that your used packaging will have a second life. Only nine percent of all plastic waste ever produced has actually recycled. This is due in part to the complex nature of product packaging, which makes it difficult to sort for users and impossible to sort for waste management machines. Lotion pumps, for example, are typically made with a metal spring and plastic tubes. Even if you rinse it out and toss it in the bin, the multifaceted materials mean it'll end up in a landfill. Or in the ocean. Or on Trash Mountain.
Sue Kauffman, a public relations manager at international recycling organization TerraCycle, sums up the sad truth about all those pretty bottles and tubes: "The more complex or costly the packaging, the harder it is to collect, separate, and recycle."
In an industry that still uses a huge amount of plastic, it's time to find sustainable solutions. To help, Nordstrom, a major beauty retailer, has pledged to gather and recycle 100 tons of beauty packaging by 2025. To make that happen, Nordstrom has partnered with TerraCycle to create BeautyCycle, an in-store depository that will ensure your empties actually get recycled.
"Nordstrom leads with the fundamental belief that we have a responsibility to leave the world better than we found it," says Gemma Lionello, Nordstrom's general merchandise manager for accessories and beauty and an executive vice president. "Customers increasingly feel the same and look to us to be a responsible company that plays an active role in protecting the environment."
Starting October 1, customers can bring their products into any Nordstrom department store (wear your face mask while you're there) and drop into a BeautyCycle bin. Nordstrom then sends the bins onward to TerraCycle, which weighs and sorts the material, then melts them down to usable raw material that will eventually become something new.
Regardless of whether you bought the beauty product at Nordstrom, customers can bring their empty makeup, hair-care, or skin-care items to a BeautyCycle box. The list of acceptable products includes shampoo and conditioner bottles, hair gel tubes and caps, hairspray bottles and triggers, hair paste plastic jars and caps, lip balm and gloss tubes, face soap dispensers and tubes, lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars, mascara tubes, eyeliner pencils, and more.
Of course, it's not every day that you use a product up completely, so it's best to save up your goods until its worth the trip to the department store. "I recommend designating an area or container in your bathroom to keep your empties until you’re ready to bring them in to be recycled," says Lionello.
According to Kauffman, one of the best ways to be a sustainable ally is to "plan for the end-of-life" of the plastic you use. Start that process here by finding the Nordstrom nearest you.
Tom Szaky will be speaking at our online event, TNW 2020 about the impact COVID-19 has had on waste management and recycling. To find out more about his talk and the other speakers you can see with your (free) ticket, check out our tracks here. Waste is an omnipresent problem — something that simultaneously impacts our environment, global economy, and personal lives. Given that plastic waste alone is projected to be as high as 53 billion pounds a year by 2030, we cannot ignore it. According to TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky, the problem isn’t that we’re ignoring, it the problem is…
This story continues at The Next Web
In a world where we’re facing global crises that none of us expected to encounter growing up—or months or weeks ago—it’s hard to know where we can hang our hopes. Personally, I find it helpful to celebrate the small ways in which the world is making progress. The new announcement by Nordstrom that it will begin accepting beauty packaging drop-offs is one such silver lining.
The global cosmetics industry produces over 120 billion units of packaging waste per year. But you don’t need to be a statistician to know how many cardboard boxes, bottles, sprays, nozzles, palettes, and tubes come out of our desire for beauty. Since Asian countries including China have stopped importing our plastic waste, most municipalities in the U.S. have stopped collecting these items in recycling. Even in the past, items that are irregularly shaped and require intensive cleaning—such as a tube of old mascara—were bound to go to landfill.
Nordstrom seeks to close this loop and attempt the first large-scale circular beauty economy. Teaming up with TerraCycle, a company that normally specializes in mail-in packaging recycling for a fee, Nordstrom will accept used beauty packaging and containers from any brand at 94 locations nationwide. Their goal is to recycle 100 tons of beauty packaging waste by 2025. Note: Credo Beauty, a cult-favorite clean-beauty chain, also partners with TerraCycle for a similar recycling program in 11 locations nationwide.
Once collected at a Nordstrom location, the beauty packaging is shredded and sorted by material type. It is then cleaned, melted, and remade into new plastic products, such as picnic tables and park benches. Metals are separated using magnets and smelted into new raw material, while glass is cleaned and color sorted before being turned into new glass products.
The incredible thing is that so many different types of compacts, tubes, bottles, mascara and eyeliners, and pencils can all be recycled through this process. But beware of these products that won’t be accepted: aerosol cans, blow dryers and hair straighteners, perfume bottles, nail polishes, and removers. These products are classified as hazardous waste due to their flammability. There are ways to get around this, dumplings! I have a non-aerosol hair spray from Jason, and Mary mailed me one of her hair straighteners (in a used box and bubble wrap, natch!). I focus on using my perfumes all the way instead of collecting a bunch that barely ever get used for years, and also refrain from buying a lot of nail polish for the same reason. If you get tired of the same old fragrance or polish though, consider swapping with friends instead of buying and discarding.
The fact that not every beauty packaging is recyclable should show that this isn’t a panacea to our plastic pollution, let alone the world’s problems in general. Indeed, it’s worth noting that Nordstrom probably isn’t doing this purely out of the goodness of their hearts—it will attract consumers into their stores who otherwise might not have visited, and lead to increased revenues. The best way to minimize one’s waste is still to consume less, rather than rely on recycling. But in a world where putting on a lipstick is an act of defiance—much like during WWII—I love knowing that I can put on a bold face without worrying about what to do when that tube is empty.
Because cloth isn't the only green way to diaper your baby.
In an effort to do what's best for their babies and for the earth, more and more parents aim to make environmentally and socially responsible choices in child rearing. In doing so, they are driving big changes in the baby market, pushing brands to hop on the green bandwagon. As of late, the world of disposable diapers is no exception. That's good news, because eco-friendly disposable diapers are easier on your baby's tush AND on the earth!
The average baby goes through 5,000 diapers before being potty-trained; and since 95% of families use disposable diapers, most of them end up in landfills and make up several million tons of waste every year. To top it off, mainstream disposable diapers are notorious for being packed with chemicals that are harmful to your little one's skin and to the planet. Luckily, diaper brands have come a long way and are now offering disposable alternatives and diaper subscriptions that make going natural easier than ever.
We've rounded up 11 eco-friendly disposable diaper brands that are safe for baby and Mother Nature and that stand a chance against those massive blowouts.
Clean Ocean Access (COA) has announced a new recycling initiative in partnership with international recycling leader TerraCycle.
Since February 2020, the program has successfully collected over 140,000 pounds of sailing and agricultural shrink-wrap for recycling, according to Clean Ocean Access.
Shrink-wrapping boats and greenhouses in preparation for winter is commonplace in the U.S., but recycling the shrink-wrap in the spring is now more challenging than ever. Historically, plastics of all kinds had been shipped overseas to be recycled, but today, the sailing and maritime community have begun to turn to Clean Ocean Access and TerraCycle’s Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project as a more local solution. This project aims to establish a U.S.-based recycling system, while also working with the marine industry to advance more circular solutions such as closed loop recycling for shrink-wrap (where the recycled film can become new shrink-wrap) or increasing the use of reusable covers where possible.
Made possible through a grant from 11th Hour Racing, an organization that establishes strategic partnerships within the sailing and maritime communities to inspire solutions for the ocean, the Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project aims to prevent plastic film from entering landfills or incinerators by collecting the shrink-wrap from marinas, boatyards, vessel owners, and local agricultural operations, and transporting the material to TerraCycle in New Jersey.
After initial implementation in Rhode Island by engaging the marine industry and boating public, the long-term goal of this project is to leverage an established network of plastic recyclers and manufacturers with the potential to collect a larger variety of shrink-wrap.
“The Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project provides a time-sensitive opportunity to advance the existing efforts to collect plastic film, and bring awareness to the challenges and opportunities of creating a domestic circular economy, while having a laser focus on improving ocean health so future generations can enjoy ocean activities,” said Dave McLaughlin Co-Founder and Executive Director of Clean Ocean Access in a statement.
The Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project is COA’s latest addition to an existing repertoire of ocean friendly initiatives including a beach cleanup volunteer program, environmental education events for children and a Marina Trash Skimmer project designed to leverage technology to remove debris found in marinas and harbors.
“By recycling boat shrink-wrap with Clean Ocean Access, TerraCycle is doing exactly what it was founded to do,” said Dylan Layfield, TerraCycle Senior Manager, Material Solutions in a statement. “By picking-up where conventional recycling leaves off, we’re ensuring that our shared waterways can be enjoyed by our children and our children’s children.”
TerraCycle specializes in collecting and repurposing hard-to-recycle waste through a variety of platforms, including large-scale recycling, which helps organizations like Clean Ocean Access recycle large volumes of waste.
For more information about Clean Ocean Access and how you can take part in the Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project, visit www.cleanoceanaccess.org/programs/shrink-wrap-recycling/. More information about TerraCycle and their recycling programs can be found by visiting www.TerraCycle.com.
A Few Friends for the Environment of the World (AFFEW) members and other volunteers picked up trash at Stearns Park on Saturday morning for the final beach sweep of the summer.
The sweep was originally planned for two weeks ago, but was rained out. It was windy on Saturday, but that didn’t hamper the spirit of the sweepers.
AFFEW has been doing beach sweeps for more than 20 years. They typically do four during the summer, but the June event was canceled due to COVID-19.
The September sweep is part of an international beach clean up effort, according to AFFEW President Julie Chambers.
Wearing masks and armed with gloves, bags and clipboards, the 15 volunteers wandered the south side of the beach.
“The city has a machine that combs the main beach,” Chambers said.
Volunteers count the trash they as pick it up and note the amounts on a sheet of paper. The data is sent to Alliance for the Great Lakes, an environmental organization.
At the end of the beach sweep they collected a total of 15 pounds of garbage. There were 751 cigarette butts, which completely unexpected for Chambers.
She said they usually find a lot of cigarette and cigar butts.
AFFEW sponsored cigarette collection containers that were placed around the city and at the Ludington State Park to help with this problem. The filters are recycled into benches through the TerraCycle program and the tobacco is properly processed, Chambers said.
Karla Cain, AFFEW board member, and her husband Wally Cain, regularly help empty the containers and were at the sweep Saturday.
“It makes me sad to see how many cigarette butts there are,” Karla said.
It was the first sweep for Ann Gilchrist of Ludington.
Gilchrist said she wanted to help because she likes to do outdoor activities.
“I want to help the environment. I like backpacking, hiking and kayaking. How many cigarette butts there are surprised me. I found a lot of plastic, which didn’t surprise me,” she said.
All the AFFEW events are open to the public, Chambers said.
Eric and Trisha Keller came from Traverse City with their son Porter.
“A lot of things wash up from the water and it doesn’t just go away,” Chambers said. “We want to clean it. It’s a good way to educate people and kids. When they see us doing this and participate, they get a better understanding.”
She had a photo to show people the amount of time certain items take to break down.
“It can be eye-opening for kids. They’ll be less likely to litter,” she said.
Diana and Darrell Rohrer from Ludington said they usually bring a bag to the beach when they visit to collect trash.
“We like clean beaches,” Diana said.
They help with the organized sweeps on and off, Darrell said.
Erica Karmisool brought her 14-month-old son, Berlie.
“I wanted to come help before nap-time,” Erica said.
She wanted to come to the one that was planned for two weeks ago.
“It’s a simple way to take part and make a difference,” she said.
TerraCycle, Trenton, New Jersey, will be working with Vail Resorts on reducing plastic use at their resorts, in partnership with PepsiCo. TerraCycle will also work with Ocean Spray to launch a national recycling program. Also, Clean Ocean Access and TerraCycle will work together to recycling hard-to-recycle plastic waste.
Vail Resorts and PepsiCo
Vail Resorts, Broomfield, Colorado, and PepsiCo, Purchase, New York, have announced the expansion of their partnership to 18 more resort locations around North America. In addition to renewing and expanding their product distribution partnership to 33 total resorts globally, PepsiCo committed to a significant investment annually in projects that support Commitment to Zero, Vail Resorts’ sustainability pledge to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030, including zero waste to landfill.
Through a multiyear sustainability road map, the companies will focus on waste reduction, including reducing beverage and food packaging waste and replacing wax-lined paper cups with compostable or durable PepsiCo products.
This season, Vail Resorts and PepsiCo will also partner with TerraCycle to create picnic tables and Adirondack chairs out of recycled snack and candy wrappers for guests to enjoy at Park City, Keystone, Beaver Creek, Vail and Breckenridge resorts.
In synergy with Vail Resorts’ Commitment to Zero initiative, PepsiCo has its own target to make 100 percent of its product packaging recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025.
“It is by working together, through robust partnerships with shared sustainability goals, that we’ll have the most impact on climate change,” says Kate Wilson, senior director of sustainability at Vail Resorts.
In addition to waste diversion efforts, PepsiCo also will support Vail Resorts’ sustainability commitments through guest-facing education initiatives, joint marketing efforts and creative upcycling projects.
Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., Middleborough, Massachusetts, announced a partnership with TerraCycle to launch a free recycling program that enables consumers to recycle Ocean Spray flexible plastic Craisins dried cranberries and snack packaging for an alternative use. Through the partnership, Ocean Spray is advancing its sustainable packaging strategy by helping to divert waste from landfills and extending the life of materials to reduce the overall environmental footprint of a product.
Now, customers can send their Ocean Spray Craisins dried cranberry products that are in flexible plastic packaging to TerraCycle, where the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products, such as park benches and picnic tables.
As an added incentive, for each shipment of Ocean Spray Craisins dried cranberries packaging sent to TerraCycle through the Ocean Spray Recycling Program, participants earn points that can be donated to a nonprofit, school or charitable organization of their choice.
In addition, Ocean Spray is working with TerraCycle’s new Loop platform to develop a program where together they will design and launch products in reusable packaging to create a truly circular economy. Consumers will be able to order Ocean Spray products from Loop’s e-commerce platform, and once done with the product, will be able to simply return the packaging to Loop to clean, sanitize and refill with the original products to reuse.
“We are thrilled to partner with TerraCycle and their new Loop program to advance Ocean Spray’s commitment to sustainability so that we can leave the earth a better place for the farmers and families we serve,” Christina Ferzli, head of global corporate affairs at Ocean Spray, says. “We embrace TerraCycle’s innovative platform as a brand-new way to approach the process of recycling, especially as we honor Climate Week and consider the steps we are taking as an organization through all of our sustainability efforts to continue this work in a meaningful way.”
"Since our founding, TerraCycle has made it our objective to 'Eliminate the Idea of Waste' by recycling the unrecyclable and diverting waste from landfills and local communities," Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO, says. “Through the Ocean Spray Recycling Program, we are joining forces with this iconic brand to offer a simple solution to packaging waste that helps preserve our environment for future generations.”
Clean Ocean Access
Clean Ocean Access (COA), Middletown, Rhode Island. a non-profit organization, has announced a new recycling initiative in partnership with TerraCycle. Since February 2020, the program has successfully collected more than 140,000 pounds of sailing and agricultural shrink-wrap for recycling.
Shrink-wrapping boats and greenhouses in preparation for winter is common in the U.S., but recycling the shrink-wrap in the spring is now more challenging than ever. Now, the sailing and maritime community have begun to turn to Clean Ocean Access and TerraCycle’s Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project.
This project aims to establish a U.S.-based recycling system, while also working with the marine industry to advance more circular solutions such as closed-loop recycling for shrink-wrap (where the recycled film can become new shrink-wrap) or increasing the use of reusable covers where possible.
Made possible through a grant from 11th Hour Racing, the Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project aims to prevent plastic film from entering landfills or incinerators by collecting the shrink-wrap from marinas, boatyards, vessel owners, and local agricultural operations, and transporting the material to TerraCycle in New Jersey.
After initial implementation in Rhode Island, the long-term goal of this project is to leverage an established network of plastic recyclers and manufacturers with the potential to collect a larger variety of shrink-wrap.
“The Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project provides a time-sensitive opportunity to advance the existing efforts to collect plastic film, and bring awareness to the challenges and opportunities of creating a domestic circular economy, while having a laser focus on improving ocean health so future generations can enjoy ocean activities,” Dave McLaughlin, co-founder and executive director of Clean Ocean Access, says.
“By recycling boat shrink-wrap with Clean Ocean Access, TerraCycle is doing exactly what it was founded to do,” Dylan Layfield, TerraCycle senior manager of material solutions, says. “By picking up where conventional recycling leaves off, we’re ensuring that our shared waterways can be enjoyed by our children and our children’s children.”
PepsiCo provides $450,000 in seed money to the TerraCycle Global Foundation, which is committed to reducing the volume of marine debris and plastic waste found in the world’s waterways.
While ocean plastics pollution is a global issue—some of the highest concentrations of plastic litter particles have been found as far as remote parts of the Arctic—90% of this pollution originates from only 10 rivers, eight in Asia and two in Africa. The main offenders are China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand and are the result of poor or mismanaged waste systems in those countries.
In 2018, TerraCycle founded the TerraCycle Global Foundation (TGF) with $450,000 in seed money from The PepsiCo Foundation. TGF is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to dramatically reducing the volume of marine debris and plastic waste found in the world’s waterways. The foundation’s inaugural platform is focused on Thailand (the Thai Foundation, or TGFT).
See: P&G dish soap bottle comprises 10% ocean plastic, 90% PCR plastic
See: PepsiCo-led Initiative Raises $25 Million for U.S. Recycling
See: PepsiCo Innovates, Collaborates to Reach Sustainable Packaging Goals
According to Burgess Davis, Vice President, Global Sustainable Plastics at PepsiCo, the company chose to support TGF because it aligned with PepsiCo’s focus on creating a circular economy for plastics. “We look for recognized partners like TerraCycle that have deep expertise and a demonstrated track record of success as well as hyperlocal, respected waste management organizations as part of our global portfolio of partners to reduce plastic waste and build a world where plastic need never become waste,” she explains. “Our Foundation’s partnerships are focused on outcomes—including tons of waste recovered and CO2 avoided—and we prioritize investing and funding projects with partners that are innovative, scalable, and can create lasting systemic change.
“Our goals through this partnership are to recover tons of plastic waste from our waters, increase public awareness and engagement to reduce plastic pollution, catalyze funding from others to scale impact, and ultimately to use recycled waste to create materials like primary packaging and road or constructions materials.”
See it Live at PACK EXPO Connects Nov. 9-13: Direct vs. Flexible Package Handling Systems: Conveyance to Palletizing Design Considerations, by Intralox. Preview the Showroom Here.
In 2019, TGFT partnered with the Blue Carbon Society, a local Thai environmental group, to support the Thai government in installing marine debris capture devices, the River Trap, in the tributaries of the Tha Chin River, located in Samut Sakhon. Says Davis, “In Bangkok, in close collaboration with the Bangkok Municipal Administration, TerraCycle Global Foundation has installed three river plastic capture devices in the Lat Prao Canal that are intercepting five metric tons of plastic waste per week, and they anticipate installing additional devices in the surrounding waterways to further prevent the large volumes of plastics from reaching the wider rivers and oceans.”
Other projects of TGFT include working with local waste pickers to improve collection rates by providing fair wages, tools, supplies, financial literacy, education, care for children, and health and safety training; engaging local district governments and organizations to ensure the long-term stability and maintenance of the collection programs; and engaging a network of partners to identify innovative recycling solutions and end markets to sell the collected materials.
See it Live at PACK EXPO Connects Nov. 9-13: Case Packing Solutions, by MASSMAN Automation Designs, LLC. Preview the Showroom Here.
“We believe the TerraCycle Global Foundation will lead international public awareness about the need to address river and ocean plastics, and by finding recycling solutions for the collected materials, it offers a holistic approach to reducing plastic waste to create meaningful, long-lasting change that can be replicated across the world,” says Davis.
The foundation’s plans for the future include expanding to local communities in Central and Southeast Asia, including India.
TerraCycle, Trenton, New Jersey, will be working with Vail Resorts on reducing plastic use at their resorts, in partnership with PepsiCo. TerraCycle will also work with Ocean Spray to launch a national recycling program. Also, Clean Ocean Access and TerraCycle will work together to recycling hard-to-recycle plastic waste.
Vail Resorts and PepsiCo
Vail Resorts, Broomfield, Colorado, and PepsiCo, Purchase, New York, have announced the expansion of their partnership to 18 more resort locations around North America. In addition to renewing and expanding their product distribution partnership to 33 total resorts globally, PepsiCo committed to a significant investment annually in projects that support Commitment to Zero, Vail Resorts’ sustainability pledge to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030, including zero waste to landfill.
Through a multiyear sustainability road map, the companies will focus on waste reduction, including reducing beverage and food packaging waste and replacing wax-lined paper cups with compostable or durable PepsiCo products.
This season, Vail Resorts and PepsiCo will also partner with TerraCycle to create picnic tables and Adirondack chairs out of recycled snack and candy wrappers for guests to enjoy at Park City, Keystone, Beaver Creek, Vail and Breckenridge resorts.
In synergy with Vail Resorts’ Commitment to Zero initiative, PepsiCo has its own target to make 100 percent of its product packaging recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025.
“It is by working together, through robust partnerships with shared sustainability goals, that we’ll have the most impact on climate change,” says Kate Wilson, senior director of sustainability at Vail Resorts.
In addition to waste diversion efforts, PepsiCo also will support Vail Resorts’ sustainability commitments through guest-facing education initiatives, joint marketing efforts and creative upcycling projects.
Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., Middleborough, Massachusetts, announced a partnership with TerraCycle to launch a free recycling program that enables consumers to recycle Ocean Spray flexible plastic Craisins dried cranberries and snack packaging for an alternative use. Through the partnership, Ocean Spray is advancing its sustainable packaging strategy by helping to divert waste from landfills and extending the life of materials to reduce the overall environmental footprint of a product.
Now, customers can send their Ocean Spray Craisins dried cranberry products that are in flexible plastic packaging to TerraCycle, where the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products, such as park benches and picnic tables.
As an added incentive, for each shipment of Ocean Spray Craisins dried cranberries packaging sent to TerraCycle through the Ocean Spray Recycling Program, participants earn points that can be donated to a nonprofit, school or charitable organization of their choice.
In addition, Ocean Spray is working with TerraCycle’s new Loop platform to develop a program where together they will design and launch products in reusable packaging to create a truly circular economy. Consumers will be able to order Ocean Spray products from Loop’s e-commerce platform, and once done with the product, will be able to simply return the packaging to Loop to clean, sanitize and refill with the original products to reuse.
“We are thrilled to partner with TerraCycle and their new Loop program to advance Ocean Spray’s commitment to sustainability so that we can leave the earth a better place for the farmers and families we serve,” Christina Ferzli, head of global corporate affairs at Ocean Spray, says. “We embrace TerraCycle’s innovative platform as a brand-new way to approach the process of recycling, especially as we honor Climate Week and consider the steps we are taking as an organization through all of our sustainability efforts to continue this work in a meaningful way.”
"Since our founding, TerraCycle has made it our objective to 'Eliminate the Idea of Waste' by recycling the unrecyclable and diverting waste from landfills and local communities," Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO, says. “Through the Ocean Spray Recycling Program, we are joining forces with this iconic brand to offer a simple solution to packaging waste that helps preserve our environment for future generations.”
Clean Ocean Access
Clean Ocean Access (COA), Middletown, Rhode Island. a non-profit organization, has announced a new recycling initiative in partnership with TerraCycle. Since February 2020, the program has successfully collected more than 140,000 pounds of sailing and agricultural shrink-wrap for recycling.
Shrink-wrapping boats and greenhouses in preparation for winter is common in the U.S., but recycling the shrink-wrap in the spring is now more challenging than ever. Now, the sailing and maritime community have begun to turn to Clean Ocean Access and TerraCycle’s Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project.
This project aims to establish a U.S.-based recycling system, while also working with the marine industry to advance more circular solutions such as closed-loop recycling for shrink-wrap (where the recycled film can become new shrink-wrap) or increasing the use of reusable covers where possible.
Made possible through a grant from 11th Hour Racing, the Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project aims to prevent plastic film from entering landfills or incinerators by collecting the shrink-wrap from marinas, boatyards, vessel owners, and local agricultural operations, and transporting the material to TerraCycle in New Jersey.
After initial implementation in Rhode Island, the long-term goal of this project is to leverage an established network of plastic recyclers and manufacturers with the potential to collect a larger variety of shrink-wrap.
“The Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project provides a time-sensitive opportunity to advance the existing efforts to collect plastic film, and bring awareness to the challenges and opportunities of creating a domestic circular economy, while having a laser focus on improving ocean health so future generations can enjoy ocean activities,” Dave McLaughlin, co-founder and executive director of Clean Ocean Access, says.
“By recycling boat shrink-wrap with Clean Ocean Access, TerraCycle is doing exactly what it was founded to do,” Dylan Layfield, TerraCycle senior manager of material solutions, says. “By picking up where conventional recycling leaves off, we’re ensuring that our shared waterways can be enjoyed by our children and our children’s children.”
Clean Ocean Access (COA) has announced a new recycling initiative in partnership with international recycling leader TerraCycle.
Since February 2020, the program has successfully collected over 140,000 pounds of sailing and agricultural shrink-wrap for recycling, according to Clean Ocean Access.
Shrink-wrapping boats and greenhouses in preparation for winter is commonplace in the U.S., but recycling the shrink-wrap in the spring is now more challenging than ever. Historically, plastics of all kinds had been shipped overseas to be recycled, but today, the sailing and maritime community have begun to turn to Clean Ocean Access and TerraCycle’s Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project as a more local solution. This project aims to establish a U.S.-based recycling system, while also working with the marine industry to advance more circular solutions such as closed loop recycling for shrink-wrap (where the recycled film can become new shrink-wrap) or increasing the use of reusable covers where possible.
Made possible through a grant from 11th Hour Racing, an organization that establishes strategic partnerships within the sailing and maritime communities to inspire solutions for the ocean, the Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project aims to prevent plastic film from entering landfills or incinerators by collecting the shrink-wrap from marinas, boatyards, vessel owners, and local agricultural operations, and transporting the material to TerraCycle in New Jersey.
After initial implementation in Rhode Island by engaging the marine industry and boating public, the long-term goal of this project is to leverage an established network of plastic recyclers and manufacturers with the potential to collect a larger variety of shrink-wrap.
“The Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project provides a time-sensitive opportunity to advance the existing efforts to collect plastic film, and bring awareness to the challenges and opportunities of creating a domestic circular economy, while having a laser focus on improving ocean health so future generations can enjoy ocean activities,” said Dave McLaughlin Co-Founder and Executive Director of Clean Ocean Access in a statement.
The Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project is COA’s latest addition to an existing repertoire of ocean friendly initiatives including a beach cleanup volunteer program, environmental education events for children and a Marina Trash Skimmer project designed to leverage technology to remove debris found in marinas and harbors.
“By recycling boat shrink-wrap with Clean Ocean Access, TerraCycle is doing exactly what it was founded to do,” said Dylan Layfield, TerraCycle Senior Manager, Material Solutions in a statement. “By picking-up where conventional recycling leaves off, we’re ensuring that our shared waterways can be enjoyed by our children and our children’s children.”
TerraCycle specializes in collecting and repurposing hard-to-recycle waste through a variety of platforms, including large-scale recycling, which helps organizations like Clean Ocean Access recycle large volumes of waste.
For more information about Clean Ocean Access and how you can take part in the Shrink-Wrap Recycling Project, visit