TerraCycle - how it works

How does this work?

Terracycle is a company who wants to eliminate the idea of waste, and instead treat waste as resources.  They work with companies who sponsor recycling efforts for hard-to-recycle materials (different companies sponsor different "brigades").  Once collected and separated by material, these materials are cleaned and pelletized, and used to make new recycled products such as park benches, children's playgrounds, and waste receptacles.  

We have signed up for several “brigades”, sponsored by Tom’s of Maine, Febreze, Tide, Swiffer, PopSockets, Royal Canin, Wellness, and some other brands.  Some brigades such as Tom’s of Maine, Gillette, and Febreze will take *any* brand of waste which contained the types of product they sell.  However, the other sponsors will only take back containers from their *own* brand.  Sponsors pay for our shipping the items to Terracycle, and some also give points per item which can be converted into dollars for non-profits (such as 4-H, libraries, schools).  If you go to terracycle.com and find a brigade that you’re interested in having us collect, please contact us at littletonma.recycles@gmail.com – we’d be happy to look into it.

You do not have to separate your items before putting them in the collection bin – we will be separating them before sending to Terracycle.  However, we would appreciate your leaving only *empty* and *dry* items, and putting the dirty Swiffer refills in a separate bag such as an old bread bag – we can recycle that later, too!  It would also be helpful to fold up large pet food bags.  Please do not put one pet food bag inside another.  

Still have questions, or want to help?  We could really use someone to be in charge of advertising in the local papers.  Please leave a message at littletonma.recycles@gmail.com