TERRACYCLE NEWS

ELIMINATING THE IDEA OF WASTE®

Posts with term TerraCycle X

They Turned That Into What? Upcycling At Its Finest

What is Upcycling?

Upcycling is the process of turning something that might be thrown away (waste material or unwanted products) into something new. Many of us do some form of upcycling as we go about our days. We turn glass containers into flower vases or soap dispensers. We may use an old colander for planting flowers or use old shirts to clean our home. All of these are forms of upcycling. It is a great way to re-use these items and keep them out of the trash.

Unique Businesses

Some businesses have even picked up on the upcycling vibe and have started to turn some surprising things, into unique, and pretty amazing, products. We thought we’d give you a brief round-up of some of the companies that stuck out to us.

Terracycle creates park benches, backpacks, gardening supplies, and many other products out of waste products that tend to be difficult, or nearly impossible to recycle, like ocean plastic.
Preserve manufacturer’s toothbrushes, kitchen items (storage containers, measuring cups), shaving products, and other items by collecting recyclable plastic materials such as yogurt containers, lip balm tubes, and even Brita water filtration systems.
Looptworks creates backpacks, duffle bags, apparel, and much more out of high-quality materials from manufacturers. Examples include old airline seat covers, skis and other textiles.
Alchemy Goods creates a variety of bags, wallets, belts, and other items from blown-out inner tubes from bicycles and billboard vinyl.
Sword & Plough turns surplus military supplies like uniforms, tents, and even sleeping bag covers into handbags, totes, and jewelry.
Upcycle It Now turns textiles headed for the landfill into masks, dog coats, lunch bags, wallets, sunglasses cases, and reusable bags.
Vélosophy has taken Nespresso pods (300 of them) and turned them into a bicycle, fit for urban bicycling.
Project Repeat helps people turn their old t-shirts into quilts. Individuals send them their old t-shirts, and they handle the rest.
Recycled Firefighter utilizes old fire hoses to manufacture durable wallets, backpacks, and belts.
Laura Zabo gives old tires and inner tubes new life by turning them into jewelry, belts, and flip flops.
Green Guru Gear makes bike gear, bags, wallets, and backpacks out of bicycle tubes, tents, wetsuits and climbing gear.
MapleXO upcycles skateboards into jewelry, bottle openers, spatulas, whisks, and other accessories.

This is only a sampling of the businesses out there that are demonstrating their creativity, and care for our planet, by upcycling items into something new. We know there are more out there, and we’d like to know about them!

Do You have a Favorite?

If you have a favorite upcycle-worthy company, email us at cultureclub@intivix.com or tag us on social media, and let us know. We’d love to put together a round two article featuring businesses submitted by our followers.

They Turned That Into What? Upcycling At Its Finest

TerraCycle Include USA

What is Upcycling?

Unique Businesses

Terracycle creates park benches, backpacks, gardening supplies, and many other products out of waste products that tend to be difficult, or nearly impossible to recycle, like ocean plastic.
Preserve manufacturer’s toothbrushes, kitchen items (storage containers, measuring cups), shaving products, and other items by collecting recyclable plastic materials such as yogurt containers, lip balm tubes, and even Brita water filtration systems.
Looptworks creates backpacks, duffle bags, apparel, and much more out of high-quality materials from manufacturers. Examples include old airline seat covers, skis and other textiles.
Alchemy Goods creates a variety of bags, wallets, belts, and other items from blown-out inner tubes from bicycles and billboard vinyl.
Sword & Plough turns surplus military supplies like uniforms, tents, and even sleeping bag covers into handbags, totes, and jewelry.
Upcycle It Now turns textiles headed for the landfill into masks, dog coats, lunch bags, wallets, sunglasses cases, and reusable bags.
Vélosophy has taken Nespresso pods (300 of them) and turned them into a bicycle, fit for urban bicycling.
Project Repeat helps people turn their old t-shirts into quilts. Individuals send them their old t-shirts, and they handle the rest.
Recycled Firefighter utilizes old fire hoses to manufacture durable wallets, backpacks, and belts.
Laura Zabo gives old tires and inner tubes new life by turning them into jewelry, belts, and flip flops.
Green Guru Gear makes bike gear, bags, wallets, and backpacks out of bicycle tubes, tents, wetsuits and climbing gear.
MapleXO upcycles skateboards into jewelry, bottle openers, spatulas, whisks, and other accessories.

Do You have a Favorite?

Local Business Now Recycles The World’s Most Littered Item And Most Common Form Of Ocean Debris

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program

TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, has joined forces with Trane Technologies, a leading manufacturer of HVAC systems poised to address climate challenges through sustainability, to collect and recycle the world’s most littered item – cigarette butts.

Through this program, Trane Technologies is not only addressing the nation’s most commonly littered item but also a form of potentially toxic plastic waste. The company currently maintains 10 receptacles placed in designated smoking areas throughout their Panama City facility. All of the collected waste is shipped to TerraCycle for recycling. When processed, the paper and tobacco is separated from the filter and composted. The filter is then recycled into plastic pellets which can be used by manufacturers to make a number of products such as shipping pallets, ashtrays and park benches. “The recycling program was started by the Trane Lynn Haven Green Team, an employee-led group at Trane with a passion for sustainability, after the idea was brought up by a member who saw the TerraCycle receptacles at the local beach and read about the impact they had in a news article,” says William Zinn, Trane Technologies representative. As the world’s most littered item, billions of cigarette butts get tossed on shorelines, park grounds and sidewalks across the United States every year. If not addressed, cigarette waste persists for years and poses a serious environmental threat as toxic chemicals leach into soil and bodies of water become contaminated with substances hazardous to marine life Participating in TerraCycle’s Cigarette Recycling Program is Trane Technologies’ latest effort to grow their socially-responsible, environmental initiatives. In addition to introducing cigarette recycling, the company has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 31 percent while increasing overall energy efficiency by 23 percent. Through these efforts, Trane Technologies is on-track to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce their customers’ carbon footprint by one gigaton in accordance with their 2030 Sustainability Commitment. “This recycling program was easy to set up and didn't require a real change in procedure as we were able to use the preexisting receptacles we have on-site. We hope to spread our message of this program and inspire people to make sure they are properly disposing of their cigarettes in the containers and not throwing them to the ground,” says Zinn. “We are proud of what we were able to do with this program, and are so excited to be partnering with TerraCycle to make a difference!” TerraCycle has collected hundreds of millions of cigarette butts globally. Additionally, through its various recycling programs, it has engaged over 200 million people across 21 countries to collect and recycle nearly eight billion pieces of waste that were otherwise non-recyclable. About Trane Technologies Trane HVAC air solutions. One of our main goals as an organization is to be a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable, and efficient environments. We know that it’s our responsibility to put the planet first. We are leading by example by changing the way we do business and setting lofty sustainable goals to accomplish by the year 2030. One of these goals is zero waste to landfill, which this recycling initiative helps us achieve. About TerraCycle TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste. Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers and cities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. Its new division, Loop, is the first shopping system that gives consumers a way to shop for their favorite brands in durable, reusable packaging. TerraCycle has won over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding more than 15 years ago and was named #10 in Fortune magazine’s list of 52 companies Changing the World. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.

The Venetian Resort Pilots Surgical Face Mask Recycling Project

TerraCycle Include USA Venetian Resort

The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas launched a pilot project for recycling surgical face masks to keep them out of landfills. This is one of the first recycling programs for personal protective equipment (PPE) in the hospitality industry, according to the resort. Covid-19 forced the resort to close temporarily. Last month the Venetian Resort reopened with measures in place that included additional team member training on safety and sanitation protocols, adding thermal scanners, and providing PPE for all team members. Guests also receive kits that contain face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes. Working in partnership with the waste management company TerraCycle, the Venetian Resort started collecting discarded masks onsite. The masks are then delivered to a recycling facility that separates and shreds them, producing a crumb-like raw material, according to the project partners. That material can then be used to make products like railroad ties, composite decking, and composite lumber for shipping pallets, TerraCycle explained. Prior to the face mask recycling pilot, the Venetian Resort already had a trash-sorting initiative in place onsite designed to divert 27 types of items that the hospitality company said would otherwise become landfill. “Through this program, between 55 to 60% of waste is diverted from local landfills, a number that far surpasses the national average of 32% or the state average of 23%,” according to the Venetian Resort, which is a Las Vegas Sands property.

5 Companies That Reward You For Recycling

TerraCycle Include USA Kiehl’s Credo

Over the past half-decade, the beauty industry has evolved into a more-is-more mentality. Whether your a beauty junkie or not, your bathroom cabinets might be filled with tons of products you don’t even remember buying. Shampoos, lotions, haircare, and makeup are all products that need to be recycled, and more often than not these items are not recycled properly. Cosmetic packagings are made of various types of materials which make this process incredibly tricky and most of these items end up contributing significantly to the evergrowing landfills across the nation. Here are 5 cosmetic brands that are working hard to reuse plastic and reduce waste, and also offer their customers some great free incentives.

Terracycle Partners with The Venetian to Recycle Surgical Face Masks

TerraCycle Include USA Venetian PPE

Working with TerraCycle, The Las Vegas Sans. Corp. resort said it’s the first Las Vegas-based property to develop such a program. SEATTLE (Waste 360): Surgical face masks used by guests and staff at The Venetian in Las Vegas will be recycled in a newly launched program. Working with TerraCycle, The Las Vegas Sans. Corp. resort said it’s the first Las Vegas-based property to develop such a program. The masks recycled from The Venetian will be collected, separated, shredded, and turned into a raw material that can be used to make products such as composite lumber for shipping pallet, railroad ties and composite decking. The Venetian has been separating masks from other waste since its reopening on June 4 as part of its Sands ECO360 initiative. Surgical masks are not currently recycled through mainstream or curbside recycling programs because the recycling process is so complex. The masks are composed of various materials that need to be sorted and separated before recycling — including a metal nose strip, which requires a magnet to separate it. Courtesy: www.waste360.com

Projeto de reciclagem nasceu para mudar a cabeça dos Riomafrenses!

TerraCycle Include Brazil scotch-brite

Usando containers para armazenagem do material, é um conceito inovador e desafiador, explica o idealizador do projeto, Evandro Vanderlei de Lima e sua sócia e esposa Fabiana Franciele Miguel de Lima.

Have old razors? Here’s how you can use them to support injured warriors

TerraCycle Include USA Gillette/CVS

Fisher House recently announced partnership with TerraCycle, Gillette and CVS Pharmacy for a new razor recycling initiative. Not only will they aim to make a positive impact on the environment, but serve military families while they do it. "How it works is that you collect all your shave products. The boxes, cartridges and the razors. Keep them until the end of August and mail them to TerraCycle," said Michelle Baldanza, Vice President of Communications for Fisher House Foundation. CVS is providing the free shipping label for those participating. She continued, "The most weight that's sent to them by state per capita – the winner of that - will get a playground for their Fisher House." In the press release for the initiative, TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky said, "We are happy to align with these forward-thinking companies to give communities the opportunity to engage around a free, easy recycling solution that supports veterans and their families." Fisher House Foundation is proud to partner with other nonprofits and organizations to continue to serve military families. This initiative is open to anyone who wants to participate. It also creates a unique opportunity for military bases to get involved and create friendly competition with their neighboring states. Should a state win that already has a playground for their Fisher House, another project of similar value will be approved. If for some reason there is not a Fisher House in the state that wins, one within the closest geographic proximity will be chosen instead. Most Fisher Houses are located near major medical or VA facilities and are completely free for troops and their families to stay at while a loved one is receiving treatment. Fisher House Foundation now boasts 88 comfort homes for military families. They are breaking ground on a new home in Kansas City in a few months and opening one in New Orleans at the end of the year. The comfort homes are scattered across the United States, with a few in Europe. The Landstuhl Fisher House in Germany is a vital house as it is next to the medical facility that troops injured in combat go through for treatment. "They started it just after a bombing in the 90s and finished it just before 9/11. The timing was really incredible that it happened right before the surge," Baldanza shared. Each Fisher House is between 5,000 to 16,800 square feet in size. There are up to 21 suites and are all professional furnished and decorated. Each can also accommodate between 16 to 42 family members. The homes are gifted to either the DOD or VA when they are completed. "For 16 years we've had four star charity ratings. Between 93 percent to 95 percent of what we bring in goes right back into the Fisher Houses. They know what we do goes to the service members, families and veterans," Baldanza explained. Fisher House also boasts an A+ grade from Charity Watch. According to their website, Fisher House served over 32,000 families in 2019 alone. They've also given $25 million in scholarships to military children and given out over 70,000 airline tickets with their Hero Miles program. When an injured service member is receiving treatment and there is no Fisher House, they put their families in nearby hotels with their Hotels for Heroes program. Baldanza expressed that Fisher House Foundation is only a part of the puzzle of support that cares for veterans and their families – it takes a village. This is one of the main reasons that they continually build partnerships, like the recent one with TerraCycle, CVS and Gillette. Together, they know they can accomplish so much more for military families. "There are so many needs that are out there, it's hard to fill them all. We [Fisher House Foundation] try to take care of those basic burdens so that family members can heal with their loved ones and help their loved ones heal too," Baldanza explained. She continued, "We always say 'a family's love is the best medicine' and that's the goal – to keep these families together." To learn more about Fisher House Foundation or to join in on their latest initiative, click here.

How to recycle, reuse and reduce

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program

Recycle, reuse, reduce is becoming a popular phrase. What do these words mean and how does one make a difference? Recycling is defined as the “process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products,” states the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Recycling is an easy step to take in helping sustain the environment for future generations, however, one must recycle right. This means cleaning the item and disposing it in the proper container. There are several benefits to recycling including: reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills; helping create jobs in the recycling industry; preventing pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials; and saving energy. In January, Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) and Cooperative Teamwork and Recycling Assistance (CTRA) merged together and formed a new program called Keep Texas Recycling. Additional information can be found at: https://www.ktb.org/keeptexasrecycling. TerraCycle is a “world leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams” according to their website and they offer multiple programs and services to help eliminate waste. Keep Blanco Beautiful is currently a member of the TerraCycle Cigarette Waste Recycling Program and recycles the butts from the receptacles around the city’s historic district. More information can be found at Terracycle.org. The definition of reuse is to use a product again for the same purpose it was created for and is usually not altered. A few examples of items to reuse include a washable cup/bottle, plates, utensils, and cloth napkins. Reusable bags are great for shopping at stores and eliminate the waste from plastic bags. “Recycled water generally refers to treated domestic wastewater that is used more than once before it passes back into the water cycle,” states the Wateruse website. Water can also be reused in different ways such as irrigation and rainwater collection. Donating items is also a form of reuse and is beneficial in several ways. These include: preventing usable goods from going into landfills; helping the community and those in need; and tax benefits may be available. Lastly, reduce is defined as making something smaller or using less which results in a smaller amount of waste. The EPA states the “most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place.” Reduction has a lot of benefits, such as: sustaining the environment for future generation; preventing pollution; and reducing the amount of waste that will need to be recycled. There are several simple ways to reduce waste like buying products you actually need and continuing to use the item or catching a carpool to work. One should try to purchase products with minimum packaging, but are durable and buy items in bulk. Rechargeable batteries and refurbished electronics are also ways to reduce waste. A person can reduce the amount of water used daily by simply turning off the water while brushing one’s teeth and taking shorter showers. Opt out of unwanted catalogs and other junk mail; many organizations offer online paperless services. The EPA also recommends to “maintain and repair products, like clothing, tires and appliances, so that they won’t have to be thrown out and replaced as frequently.” Recycling, reusing, and reducing products can really help make a positive impact on the environment for future generations.

KBB members talk various projects in quarterly meeting

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program

The Keep Blanco Beautiful second quarterly meeting took place after the beautification committee finished. The table and chairs were wiped down prior to the meeting and members were socially distant with masks at hand. The minutes from the January meeting were approved. Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) is still not doing cleanups at this point, but the organization hopes to host its Fall Sweep event later this year. Keep America Beautiful (KAB) has launched a digital platform for their Great American Cleanup event. Both organizations are spreading the message to stay safe. KBB’s website and Facebook page are great sources for Blanco citizens. The group discussed briefly the ball moss in oak trees around the community. A recommendation was made to use a mix of soda and water, and spray the ball moss, which should kill the roots. The ball moss might not kill the tree itself, but it eventually smothers the tree. An awareness campaign on ball moss will begin shortly. Not much is being spent at this time with the pandemic; fertilizer, mulch, insecticides will need to be purchased. A brief discussion on possibly adding receptacles dedicated for cans only around the park took place next. Next, the group talked about the Town Creek Restoration Riparian project. The riparian is looking great and healthy. The trees and mulberries are doing well. Nothing has been removed from the heavy rain, and the water is actually flowing after rain. The beautification committee has been working from 9 a.m. to noon lately because the number of volunteers has decreased during the pandemic. Volunteers are needed; anyone can join. A new scene has been made for the Blanco Trail of Lights and it is still planned to take place in December. A brief Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) discussion took place. The cigarette receptacles will be added to Google Maps soon to make it easier for everyone to know where they are. During the last collection, all of the receptacles contained butts, and 2,350 butts were collected. These were mailed to TerraCycle for recycling. Individual cleanups are encouraged and KBB has supplies to lend for these events.