Trenton-based TerraCycle, a company known for “recycling-the-unrecyclable,” announced record expansion and revenue growth.

Tom Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams. TerraCycle operates in 21 countries, working with the world’s largest brands and companies to create national platforms to recycle products and packaging that currently go to landfill or incineration. Through TerraCycle, Tom is pioneering new waste management processes to create circular solutions for materials such as cigarette butts, laboratory waste, coffee capsules, personal and oral care waste and even food packaging that otherwise have no other path to be recycled.

TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams. TerraCycle operates in 21 countries, working with some of the world’s largest brands and companies to create national platforms to recycle products and packaging that currently go to landfill or incineration. Through TerraCycle, Tom is pioneering new waste management processes to create circular solutions for materials such as cigarette butts, laboratory waste, coffee capsules, personal and oral care waste and even food packaging that otherwise have no path to be recycled.

Making recycling interesting creates value for sustainable brands.

Waste isn’t exactly a “sexy” topic, and for the household and personal care industry, that’s exactly what products need to be in order to grab the attention of consumers.

Welcome to the latest edition of Ask a Genius, our regular series of interviews with brilliant people. Today we're featuring an interview with Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. The company's mission is to eliminate waste and "recycle the unrecyclable." The company has found ways to recycle more than 100 forms of waste, from cigarette butts to dirty diapers.

TerraCycle US Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of TerraCycle, Inc., announced that its $25 million Regulation A Offering has been qualified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), thereby allowing anyone the opportunity to invest in the innovative recycling company. “Our mission at TerraCycle is to eliminate waste, recycle the unrecyclable and use our innovative business solutions to minimize human impact on the planet,” said TerraCycle chief executive officer Tom Szaky.

In the age of the internet, new technologies have provided us access to more information and more ways to connect than ever before. With the rise of social media and internet literacy emerged a new funding option for individuals and groups looking to raise money for the things they care about: crowdfunding.

Financing tends to be on the top of the list of hurdles for sustainable companies looking to scale. A business does not survive on a mission alone, and in order to generate profits and revenue, it needs capital to operate. But for sustainable enterprises setting out to meet the triple bottle line (“Planet, People, Profit”) while minimizing impacts, attracting and raising funding can be a particularly challenging task.

"Why does waste even exist?" That’s the question at the heart of TerraCycle’s own existence. Since 2001, the company has been taking hard-to-recycle waste and turning it into raw material for use in new products. It operates in over 20 countries and engages over 60 million people.

"Why does waste even exist?" That's the question at the heart of TerraCycle's own existence. Since 2001, the company has been taking hard-to-recycle waste and turning it into raw material for use in new products.