In today’s world, the basic model for the production of goods is linear: natural resources are extracted and turned into products that are used for a limited time. While some of these products are recycled, most eventually end up in the world’s landfills. This model is becoming increasingly unsustainable and expensive for businesses. Commodity prices rose more than 150 percent between 2002 and 2010 and an additional three billion middle-class consumers are expected to enter the global market by 2030. This unprecedented demand for goods and services coupled with increasing resource scarcity and price volatility is causing companies to move from a traditional “take-make-dispose” model to a more circular strategy. Beyond the cost, there is increasing awareness of the impact of the linear model on the well-being of the planet, and a growing sense of urgency as we see the ultimate ramifications on society and the environment.   Closing the Loop with Innovative Logistic Solutions In recent years, I’ve seen companies like Dell, Patagonia and TerraCycle focus their sustainability efforts on implementing seamless take-back programs that make use of turnkey packaging, pickup services and pre-paid return labels. With approximately 97 percent of business leaders listing logistics as important to transitioning to a circular economy, partnering with intelligent logistic providers will be crucial for companies to implement cost-effective circular strategies. UPS teamed up with Nespresso to help the company ensure their single-serve coffee capsules are properly recycled. Nespresso offers pre-paid recycling bags for consumers to mail back used capsules by dropping them off at one of the 88,000 UPS drop-off locations across the U.S., or by giving them to any UPS driver. The aluminum from the capsules is then melted down and used in new products, and coffee grounds are composted into high-quality soil amendments that go to landscapers, garden centers, municipalities and homeowners. This is one example of many where partnerships are critical to closing the loop. The Future of the Circular Economy I recently had the opportunity to participate on a panel at GreenBiz VERGE 2016 with Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle and Kevin Zweier, VP of Transportation Practice at Chainalytics, to discuss trends shaping the future of the circular economy. In addition to the critical role of logistics, major takeaways from the collaborative discussions included: Tailoring the Solution. Companies trying to implement circular strategies face a “first mile” challenge when it comes to reusing products and resources for future use. Each product in a company’s supply chain must be analyzed based on its unique characteristics from raw material to end-of-life. Circular planning must then be used to determine whether reclaimed products and resources should be transported back to a central hub facility or dealt with on a local level. Education is Key. To help build mainstream acceptance and support for a realized circular economy, governments and businesses alike should prioritize educating consumers about circular principles, including which products can be reused, recycled or upgraded. By helping customers make easy decisions when they are done using a product, we can ensure valuable materials don’t end up in landfills. We All Have a Role to Play. While companies are investing in innovative partnerships and creating more sustainable solutions, there is also a need for customers and consumers to take advantage of these offerings so that these investments can be supported by a strong business case. 

... As esponjas serão enviadas juntamente com os outros materiais recicláveis que já fazem parte do projeto, para a empresa TerraCycle...

...Quanto aos resíduos de descarte difícil, como produtos de beleza e materiais de escritório, o trabalho é feito junto à Terracycle...

Each morning is the beginning of a new day and another chance to make the world a better place. Think your actions don't make a difference? Think again! Taking small, mindful actions for positive improvement can have a great impact on your community and inspire others to do the same. There are so many opportunities to do good for the planet, and many of them are right under your nose. Here are three ways you can do your part to make the world a better place...all before 10 a.m. * Concentrate on your morning routine. So much of what we do in the morning can be condensed to consume less and do much more. Try to reduce your water usage by shortening your shower time and don't let it run while you brush your teeth. Make your own coffee and lunch to cut down on food packaging waste. Carpool to put fewer vehicles on the road and get to know your co-workers. * Engage in "mindful" acts of kindness. Make it a point to hold the door open for a stranger, compliment your co-worker's outfit or new hairstyle, or buy a snack for the person behind you in line. To be kind is an act of solidarity, and doing good for others will inspire members of your community to do the same. Kindness is the currency of change: spend wisely and often. * Learn about new ways to recycle. Did you know that Malt-O-Meal cereal bags can be recycled through a free program in partnership with TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycling company? To begin with, Malt-O-Meal bagged cereal creates 75 percent less packaging waste than boxed cereal with a bag inside. Through the MOM Brands Cereal Bag Recycling Program, you can ensure that none of it ends up in the landfill and raise money for charity at the same time!

... Quanto aos resíduos de descarte difícil, como produtos de beleza e materiais de escritório, o trabalho é feito juntamente com a Terracycle...

Candy wrappers, disposable décor, cheap wrappers, oh my! Here are some new tips for cutting down on Halloween trash. A couple of years ago, my daughters were nonplussed to discover that one of our neighbors dropped an ear of popping corn in their trick or treat baskets. But I wasn’t: This particular neighbor’s front porch is the pickup spot for a CSA and she’s a big supporter of local river cleanup efforts. Given that I was finding little scraps of candy wrappers around my house for days, it was refreshing to be able to pop the cob right in the microwave and throw the spent cob in my compost pail. That little cob of corn has stuck in my mind in recent Halloweens as I watch the candy wrappers go in the trash (most aren’t recyclable), along with the cheap, flimsy decorations that my kids seem to convince me to buy, and the costumes they’ll outgrow by next year (what kid wants to be the same thing two years in a row?). Can Halloween be enjoyed without ending up with a landfill-bound bag of trash the next day? I think so — here’s how! 3.Be green with your own candy wrappers. There’s no escaping the candy that’ll be just about everywhere in the days before and after Halloween (even if you don’t have kids, chances are your workplace will be full of it!). The Internet is full of fun projects you can do with candy wrappers. Plain foil wrappers or clear plastic can be recycled with the rest of your foil and plastic film. TerraCycle offers a collection box for wrappers — why not see if your local school or library will serve as a collection point?

A TerraCycle, empresa amiga do Meio Ambiente que se tornou líder global no setor de reciclagem de resíduos de difícil reciclabilidade..

Shoreham Herald-TerraCycle-13th October 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Dozens of schools from six states competed and one local school took home the grand prize of a brand new playground made entirely of recycled materials. Legacy Christian Elementary School in Grand Rapids unveiled their new playground Wednesday afternoon at a ribbon cutting ceremony. Nearly 86,000 votes, more than 15,000 recycled materials and a countless amount of community support is what it took to win the 2016 Recycled Playground Challenge. The competition was put on by Colgate, Meijer and TerraCycle — a company that makes new products out of recycled material. Legacy’s new playground is made entirely from old oral care products — from toothbrushes to floss containers — which the students themselves contributed to. “It’s cool to think that my old toothbrush, instead of going in the trash, can go be made into our playground,” a Legacy Christian Elementary School student said. It’s also worth noting that both the first and second runner ups were also schools in West Michigan — Alto’s Kettle Lake Elementary and Dutton Christian School in Caledonia.

CUTLERVILLE, Mich. -- The students at Legacy Christian Elementary School are taking brushing and flossing to a new level. Over the past two years, they've been recycling old toothbrushes, floss containers, and toothpaste tubes in hopes of winning a new playground structure. Today their hopes were realized as they were rewarded with a new playground structure, for winning the Recycle Playground Challenge. It's a contest sponsored by Meijer and Colgate, and organized by Terra Cycle. "So it's very sturdy and it gives the kids something to be proud of," says Mamme Mensah, senior account manager with Terra Cycle. "Because they're able to see their achievement right up front and center." The kids at Legacy Christian Elementary recycled more than 15,000 oral care items to help win the grand prize: A $50,000 playground structure that should last for at least 30 years. They also earned more than 86,000 online votes to help win the prize. "It was a lot of work, and you kind of don't know what you're getting into when you first start," says Vickie Zylstra, the head of the Terra Cycle Committee and a parent at Legacy Christian. "But it was definitely rewarding. And you know, what a great thing we were able to bring to the school." Legacy Christian Elementary competed against 130 other schools from across Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Wisconsin to win the Recycle Playground Challenge.