STEP 3. we RECYCLE EVERYTHING
At TerraCycle®, our mission is to eliminate the idea of waste by making the non-recyclable, recyclable. We've solved for hundreds of waste streams that many recycling systems can't handle — here's how.
What makes waste recyclable or non-recyclable?
All waste is technically recyclable, but some of it is more expensive to collect and process than the resulting recycled materials are worth.
Today, it’s typically cheaper to send that waste to a landfill or an incinerator, which is the main reason most of our waste doesn't end up being recycled — even if you place it in your recycling bin. Only waste that is profitable to recycle generally ends up being recycled by your local recycling company.
how does terracycle recycle the non-recyclable?
The issue of waste comes down to the economics. TerraCycle works with conscientious brands, retailers, and consumers who pay the shipping and processing minus the resulting value of any waste they'd like to see recycled.
In the case of TerraCycle PickUp, the price of your Zero Waste Bag is calculated by taking the price to ship, sort, and process minus what we can sell the resulting recycled materials for.
Environmental benefit of TerraCycle
By sending waste to TerraCycle you will avoid it ending up as litter, in a landfill or incineration facility. Instead, new materials and products will be made with your collected waste, reducing the need to extract new materials from the planet. This avoided impact is not small; for an average product over 90% of the environmental impact comes from extracting and refining the raw materials from which it is made.
we don't practice linear solutions like:
✖ incineration
Incineration of materials converts waste into ash, gas, and heat and can significantly reduce the necessary volume to be landfilled. However, Incineration is not a circular solution as the waste material is destroyed in the incineration process.
✖ Landfill
A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial - the oldest form of waste treatment. While landfills are the most common methods of organized waste disposal, they drive negative environmental impacts and create no value.
our innovative solutions have won many awards
We've been recognized for our recycling efforts with over 200 awards in the social entrepreneurship and sustainable business spaces.
