TerraCycle’s come a long way since its humble origins in 2011. Then, the concept of recycling took the form of waste (feeding organic waste to worms) packaged in more waste (used soda bottles). Cut to 2022, and initiatives like Loop, a platform that allows brands to create reusable versions of their product’s packaging available at any retailer, and TerraCycle Global Foundation, which works to remove plastic from rivers and canals before it can reach the ocean, are well underway. But what business does a company that started with dirt have in the beauty industry? For Murad, a business pioneering the clinical skincare space since 1989, it’s a perfect match. “Dr. Murad’s life’s work is dedicated to helping people attain healthier skin and happier lives, and being able to put forth this partnership with TerraCycle strengthens our pledge to that,” explains Paul Schiraldi, Murad’s CEO. “Consumers are sharper than ever and interested in sustainability, so we wanted to make it easier for them to take care of their skin and the planet.” Partnerships with powerhouse brands like Garnier and pop-ups at Nordstrom locations for easy recycling drop-off prove TerraCycle’s appeal. For Murad specifically, the consumer journey starts once the product is finished. From here, consumers can mail in Murad product packaging using a prepaid shipping label. Once delivered, used packaging is remodeled for life as new product packaging. The brand’s inspiration came from customers, and their unwillingness to compromise. “We know being a sustainably conscious brand is important to our customers,” Schiraldi continues. “We didn’t want them to have to compromise, skin health vs. sustainability, so we merged the two.” By designing recycling processes and consumer-facing recycling programs on behalf of companies, TerraCycle skirts recycling’s notorious pain points by offering something refreshingly straightforward. TerraCycle sees its continued partnerships with beauty brands as good business. Tom Szaky, TerraCycle’s CEO and founder, explains. “Recycling is a business and like any other, it is driven by economics. Individual municipalities may not have recycling programs designed to process waste like hair gel tubes and caps, for instance, because there’s little profit to be made.” He continues, “However, since TerraCycle partners with brands who fund the research and development of innovative recycling techniques, we are able to engage more consumers directly through free recycling programs.” Since beauty and skincare are both categories tied intrinsically to the consumer’s personal choice, or as Szaky puts it “extensions of their own identities,” there’s a certain incentive to consume consciously—whether that means opting for less waste in purchasing, prioritizing “clean” formulations, or giving the product life after the last pump through recycling. Citing the logic of voting with one’s dollars, Szaky explains that the companies they choose to support are their ideals and values come to life. “Because of this additional psychic income from working with TerraCycle, brands across the consumer-packaged goods spectrum are eager to collaborate,” he explains. “This can take the form of supporting nonprofits through the donation incentive aspect of our free programs or creating recycled products, like playgrounds or durable outdoor furniture, made from the waste collected through these programs. These products are then donated to schools or nonprofit organizations on behalf of our brand partners.” Beyond the higher calling of proper recycling, beauty products pose an often-overlooked challenge with the complex rules and regulations that prohibit recycling on the municipal level. Some dark-colored shampoo bottles are unrecognized by sorting machines. Small pieces, think lids or caps, are likely to go undetected as well, ending up in landfills. For Murad, promising customers that they will do better in terms of environmental responsibility starts with packaging. Compostable shipping materials, replacing virgin plastics, and pursuing ingredient transparency are all recent initiatives. Thanks to the brand’s partnership with TerraCycle, Murad empties are coming back in their second life as raw materials, which will be turned into flooring tiles, storage bins, outdoor furniture, and so many other products. The clean revolution in skincare no longer stops at formulation. To be considered clean is to account for the life the product lives beyond its usage.

Takis is known for its ultra-spicy rolled tortilla chips, but did you know that the company is also big on reducing waste? According to a recent press release, Takis is launching a new initiative with the recycling company TerraCycle, allowing customers to recycle the brand's packaging — and earn points that can be redeemed for donations to nonprofits or schools.

According to Keep Truckee Green, chips are usually sold in a type of bag that isn't recyclable via your typical blue bin. These crinkly bags are made from a mix of different materials like aluminum and plastic. Because it's incredibly difficult to separate these components — which must be done for these bags to be recycled — they usually end up in the trash. TerraCycle, however, has the capacity to recycle these bags — and is hoping its partnership with Takis will divert some of those chip and snack bags from ending up in landfills.

According to the press release, participants can begin by making a TerraCycle account and signing up on the Takis Snacks Recycling Program page to access a prepaid shipping label. Then, simply use the shipping label to mail your collection of Takis bags to the company. Per the brand's TerraCycle page, you can reuse any box you have and should wait until it's full of used bags to mail it; This will reduce the carbon footprint from shipping. Once they get to TerraCycle's facility, the Takis bags will be cleaned and melted into hard plastic, per the press release. The resulting material can then be used to make other products. After sending each box of Takis bags, participants will earn points, which they can redeem as donations to their choice of organization or school. "We are thrilled to partner with TerraCycle to offer our consumers an easy and rewarding way to recycle the Takis snack packaging varieties," Marketing Director of Salty Snacks for Barcel USA, Sandra Peregrina explained in the press release. "Protecting our planet is so important to our brand and to our consumers, so we're honored to offer this simple recycling solution for all of our intense Takis fans."

Karen James from Rossington has collected nearly 20,000 items which are not accepted by Doncaster Council for recycling.

She has set up a publicly accessible drop-off point at her home on Bond Street, allowing the whole community to send “unrecyclable” packaging and products for recycling.

For each shipment of material she sends to waste firm TerraCycle, Karen receives a monetary reward which she donates to the RSPCA.

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