Who is TerraCycle?

TerraCycle is dedicated to Eliminating the Idea of Waste®. For over 20 years, they’ve been an international leader in sustainability solutions. TerraCycle is different from traditional waste management companies because they recycle trash that you can’t recycle locally, including cigarette butts, toys, mascara wands, and much more.

TerraCycle offers a range of solutions for your hard-to-recycle trash, including:

Free recycling programs, which are sponsored by brands so you can recycle their products and packaging for free.
Zero Waste Boxes, which are available for purchase so you can #RecycleEverything.

What’s the difference between TerraCycle and your blue bin?

What makes something municipally recyclable depends on whether your local recycling company can make a profit recycling it. If the cost of collecting and processing the waste is lower than the value of the resulting raw material, it will likely be locally recyclable. If the costs are higher, then it likely won’t be. The good news is that most trash is technically recyclable! TerraCycle can recycle the unrecyclable because they partner with brands, retailers, and other stakeholders who fund the recycling process.

What is a Zero Waste Box?

Hate the idea of sending trash you can’t recycle to the landfill? From coffee capsules to plastic cutlery to the entire contents of your bathroom, Zero Waste Boxes make it possible to recycle things that are probably not accepted through local curbside recycling services. Zero Waste Boxes are available for almost everything you can imagine!

There are three (3) sizes of Zero Waste Boxes to choose from:

Small: 11” x 11” x 20”
Medium: 11” x 11” x 40”
Large: 15” x 15” x 37”

It’s as simple as this: browse our selection of Zero Waste Boxes online and select the box that fits your needs. Fill your Zero Waste Box up with the trash you’d like to recycle. When it’s all filled, send your box back to us with the attached prepaid shipping label, and we’ll #RecycleEverything!

Just because you no longer have a use for something doesn’t mean it needs to go to waste. Zero Waste Box ensures hard-to-recycle products and packaging are recycled and not sent to landfills. #RecycleEverything with Zero Waste Box.

How are the materials collected through Zero Waste Boxes recycled?

Everything collected through the Zero Waste Box solution is sorted and processed into raw materials that can be reused instead of sent to landfills. We’ve developed recycling solutions for even the most complex waste. Read below to learn how different types of material are recycled.

PLASTICS: Plastics are separated by number, melted down, and turned into pellets that can be molded and extruded to produce new products.
METALS: Metals are separated by type and smelted into metal sheeting, ingots, or bar stock.
GLASS: Glass is cleaned and sorted by color for processing. It is then crushed and melted to be used in new glass products or cement and concrete applications.
ORGANICS: Organics are composted or used in industrial and commercial fertilizers.
FIBERS: Fibers are hydropulped to separate wax or plastic coatings. The separated fiber is recycled into new paper products or composted if recycling is not possible. Any resulting plastics are recycled into plastic polymers.
FABRICS: Textiles are sorted by type and are recycled, upcycled, or reused as appropriate. Textiles of mixed fibers are converted to energy. Natural fiber textiles (cotton) are turned into a “shoddy” or insulation. Synthetic fiber textiles (polyester) are pelletized and made into new plastic products.
ELECTRONICS: Electronics collected for recycling, also known as e-waste, are mechanically and manually separated into metals and plastics. Salvageable materials are refurbished and reused. All data is wiped, but we advise restoring your device to factory settings before sending it in.
COOKING OIL: Cooking oil will be consolidated by our brand partner American By-Products Recyclers and turned into biodiesel or mechanical lubricants.
CIGARETTES: Cigarettes are shredded and separated into plastics, papers, and organics.
LATEX PAINTS: Latex paint is separated into water and solids, which are then run through an extruder. The water is stripped from the materials as water vapor and the solids are melted and formed into pellets. The pellets can be used as a base for colorants or as additives to other recycled polymers.