TerraCycle turns non-recyclable plastic waste into recyclable products. Natalie Allen reports.

“People are missing out on valuable resources because they’re overlooking what in front of them and writing it off because that’s the old habit.” Tom Szaky Terra Cycle, Inc. CEO MO.com is proud to partner with The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC): The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The Y.E.C promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment and underemployment and provides its members with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of a business’s development and growth. TerraCycle, Inc. is an international upcycling company that takes difficult to recycle packaging and turns it into affordable, eco-friendly products. Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle, founded it in 2001. TerraCycle is the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable post-consumer waste. TerraCycle works with over 30 major brands in the U.S. (and in a growing number of other countries) to collect used packaging and products (Frito-Lay chip bags, Mars candy wrappers, Capri Sun and Honest Kids juice pouches, pens, toothbrushes, etc.) that would otherwise be destined for landfills. TerraCycle repurposes that waste into new eco-friendly materials and products that are available online and through major retailers. The waste is collected through TerraCycle’s Brigade programs, which are free fundraisers that pay schools and non-profits for every piece of waste they collect and return.

On 9/16/11, I had a fun and informative interview with Albe Zakes.  He is the VP of Media Relations for TerraCycle. He has been with TerraCycle since 2006. That same year, INC magazine ran a story calling TerraCycle the “coolest little start-up in America”. They are still very cool and now exemplify a company that’s known for being at the   forefront of waste reduction worldwide! When it comes to sustainability – they get it in a BIG way.

Visit www.TerraCycle.net for neat ways to reuse candy wrappers and benefit your favorite non-profits. I know my son would never forgive me if I didn’t let him help carve the jack o’lantern, play at the local carnival and go trick-or-treating. However, always trying to stay conscious of little things I can do to put his health, safety and the safety of our planet first, I came up with a few tips on how to make Halloween more green, without scaring away any of the fun of the orange and black:

ReNual CEO Alicia Korten interviews Albe Zakes from Terracycle on how the company is turning garbage into gold

Bæredygtighed var atter et hovedtema på Copenhagen Design Week, men i år fokuserede man på de store linjer i produktionen - bl.a. den fineste form for genbrug, upcycling, der handler om at opgradere skrald. ... En af pionererne inden for upcycling er det New Jersey-baserede firma TerraCycle, der blev startet i 2001 af to studerende fra Princeton University, som havde held med at lade orme omdanne universitetskantinens affald til gødning.

Could TerraCycle and Guerillapps have hit upon the next FarmVille? The Trash Tycoon Facebook game that launched yesterday challenges players to find and recycle trash that can be used to make eco-friendly products that translate into game money and points. Its sponsors include TreeHugger and the CarbonFund.org, as well as TerraCycle.