TerraCycle’s Free Recycling Programs

Hi everyone! I’d like to quickly highlight this amazing resource. Terracycle coordinates national recycling programs, either with free shipping labels to the correct recycling facilities or purchasing a designated recycling box. They also partner with physical locations for drop-off recycling.

There is a wide array of recycling programs covering various items from e-waste, batteries, and water filters, to specific brands of make-up and personal care product packaging. Most programs use the free shipping label option, in which you use any old cardboard box to package your items for recycling.

For example, are your cupboards filled with old food storage containers? Clear up your space and recycle them through Rubbermaid’s program at TerraCycle. I just did this and it was incredibly easy and took less than 10 minutes.

Here are the general steps I followed…

1. Sign up for TerraCycle (it’s free)
2. Choose which recycling program to use
3. Print the free label*
4. Fill up any box with plastic food containers
5. Seal and stick label on the box
6. Drop off at UPS

A local organization near you may host collective recycling events. Where I live, Pacific Beach Coalition is the go-to organization to sign up for beach clean-ups! PBC also hosts annual cigarette butt collections called the ‘Butt Blitz’ and sends all that cigarette waste to TerraCycle for recycling at the end of the event. Take a minute to search your area for organizations that might do the same!

Here’s a list of a few free TerraCycle programs for common items…

• Rubbermaid® Food Storage Recycling Program —all brands of food storage containers
• Personal Care and Beauty Recycling Program — all brands of skincare, haircare, and cosmetic packaging
• Colgate® Oral Care Recycling Program — all brands of oral care products
• E-Waste Recycling Program
• Brita® Recycling Program — Brita®-branded products only
• Cigarette Waste Recycling Program

You should check out if your local recycling takes on certain items; perhaps you don’t need TerraCycle if your local services accept a wide variety of materials. TerraCycle’s Personal Care and Beauty Recycling Program linked above has an interactive searchable map to check which items are accepted by your nearby recycling services.

Overall, TerraCycle is a great resource especially for remote and rural areas whose local recycling services do not take certain plastics or other various items. The next time you’re cleaning out the house, please consider recycling any applicable items you’re throwing out through TerraCycle. Happy recycling, ya’ll~!