"Kept Out of Landfills and Reborn as a Bag"

Ken Belson  co-founded Terracycle in 2001. 

"Plastic bags, juice pouches, cookie wrappers and other items that cannot be recycled are being changed into everyday items like tote bags, pencil cases and messenger bags to be sold at some of the country’s biggest retailers" - NY TIMES

"TerraCycle collected waste and surplus products from companies including Bear Naked, the granola company; Clif Bar; Coca-Cola; Honest Tea; Kraft Foods; and Stonyfield Farm, the yogurt company"

"TerraCycle also rewards consumers who send unrecyclable items like juice pouches or plastic yogurt cups to the company’s warehouses in Trenton. This year, about 4,000 schools, churches and other groups from 46 states have sent TerraCycle more than 300,000 Capri Sun pouches, which cannot be recycled because they are made with plastic and aluminum. In return, TerraCycle paid 2 cents per pack to a charity of each group’s choice" - NY TIMES

(THIS IS EXCITING!)

TerraCycle:

cleans the pouches

sews them together

produces them into pencil cases, tote bags and other items

“We have a big role to play in reducing what ends up in landfills,” said Jeff Chahley, Kraft’s senior director for sustainability. “We fell in love with how they get the packaging, get kids involved and reward people for doing the right things.”

"Retailers are asking for the products. OfficeMax sells pencil cases made from Capri Sun pouches, as well as clipboards made from computer circuit boards, waste cans made from computer parts and paper made from banana peels. OfficeMax will soon carry TerraCycle’s computer bags made from vinyl used on billboards" - NY TIMES