EMILY MCDOUGALL: TerraCycle - Outsmarting WasteEmily is the Community Marketing Associate for TerraCycle, a volunteer-based recycling and upcycling platform that collects hard to recycle pre-and post-consumer waste on behalf of corporate donors to turn it into raw material creating usable new products. TerraCycle’s mission is “to eliminate the idea of waste.” Essentially a waste management company, this global leader collaborates with major consumer product brands and retailers around the world to
1. Find recycling solutions
2. Develop recyclable packaging
3. Create a circular economy by reusing recycled waste products.
This reflects the current shift in consumer attitudes towards a more sustainable society. The ideal is to remove plastic from the purchase journey. TerraCycle believes working with the major brands to find innovative recycling solutions for their packaging that can then be upcycled, goes a long way to educating and changing human habits. The challenge is for Research and Development to create a usable end of life solution. By looking at ways to improve hard to recycle waste, TerraCycle creates, using the new waste management buzzword, a circular economy.
EMILY MCDOUGALL: TerraCycle - Outsmarting Waste
Emily is the Community Marketing Associate for TerraCycle, a volunteer-based recycling and upcycling platform that collects hard to recycle pre-and post-consumer waste on behalf of corporate donors to turn it into raw material creating usable new products. TerraCycle’s mission is “to eliminate the idea of waste.” Essentially a waste management company, this global leader collaborates with major consumer product brands and retailers around the world to
1. Find recycling solutions
2. Develop recyclable packaging
3. Create a circular economy by reusing recycled waste products.
This reflects the current shift in consumer attitudes towards a more sustainable society. The ideal is to remove plastic from the purchase journey. TerraCycle believes working with the major brands to find innovative recycling solutions for their packaging that can then be upcycled, goes a long way to educating and changing human habits. The challenge is for Research and Development to create a usable end of life solution. By looking at ways to improve hard to recycle waste, TerraCycle creates, using the new waste management buzzword, a circular economy.
Common Collection Hubs set up by Corporate Offices, Schools, Brand Stores, Community groups, such as us, community centres, gyms and sports clubs provide public drop off locations that are convenient, accessible and free. TerraCycle offers opportunities for the public to recycle those hard to recycle waste products that don’t easily fall under current Council kerbside collections. It is easy to sign up and set up. TerraCycle provides you with resources to raise awareness along with promotion on their digital platforms. A charity points system can be converted into donations enabling you to support your chosen School or Charity. Waste is shipped back to Victoria, Australia for handling and upcycling at no cost. Colgate has a very popular oral care program, there is also a hair and razor care program in NZ. Sounds simple and easy, doesn't it?
Zero Waste provides a solution for all waste, especially that not eligible for the free programs or curbside collections such as coffee pods and facemasks. There is a cost to this, between $80 - 250 depending on the waste. This is, however, a great option for the workplace.
The Loop program embraces the circular economy movement to eliminate single-use packaging. Remember the days of glass milk bottle deliveries and collection?
From Victoria, all the waste is repurposed or upcycled into outdoor furniture, construction materials, playgrounds or community gardens. Now that must be good for everyone.
As Rob said in his thank you, recycling comes and goes in popularity. The world does indeed need to do more to eliminate plastic from the purchasing journey. One only needs to google images of Haiti Beaches rubbish.
Thank you, Emily, and TerraCycle, you are on to a good thing. This is the direction individuals and consumers need to go.