The economics of waste are simple: a material is recycled if there is an economic incentive to do so. As it stands, the cost of collection, separation and treatment for most of the world’s waste tends to be greater than the materials are worth, and materials recovery facilities have little capability to process them properly.
How it all started
It is this motivation of perspective that drove TerraCycle in its early inception. Founded in my Princeton dorm room in 2001, worm poop fertilizer was the center of TerraCycle’s original business model. The expansion of this vermicompost operation gave way to the company’s first recycling program, the Bottle Brigade, which was conceived to source a larger volume of used soda bottles (“sustainable packaging for a sustainable product”), reused to serve as the product’s packaging.
TerraCycle eventually brought the same perspective of value it did to used soda bottles to all types of waste, starting with the company’s first sponsored recycling program with Honest Kids.
The Future
Today, TerraCycle continues to develop innovative solutions for new product categories by applying technologies and program structures in ground-breaking ways. New initiatives include the Anaerobic Adhesive Recycling Program sponsored by Henkel, the first industrial adhesive manufacturer to recycle the category, a partnership with SUEZ, one of the largest waste management companies in the world, and launching operations in new countries.
It is the consumer who ultimately has the influence to implement the sweeping infrastructure changes needed to bridge the gap between us and zero waste.
By supporting companies dedicated to socially responsible business practices with your patronage and buying power, you increase demand for sustainable company behavior. TerraCycle’s worldwide portfolio of program sponsors actively addresses this demand, and will expand with continued public interest for comprehensive waste solutions.
If you would like to learn how to recycle your waste or would like to work with us please visit our site.
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Tom Szaky
Founder, TerraCycle