Make your voice heard: Let brands know recycling is important to you

Earth Day may have passed, but you can still take action for the planet every day.

Over the last month, we’ve explored how our actions, purchases, and decisions can help protect the planet. Recycling is just the beginning. 

But there’s so much more you can do! You have more power than you might think. 

At TerraCycle, we can recycle the ‘unrecyclable’ (items not typically accepted through kerbside recycling programs) by working with brands, retailers, and others who fund the process of recycling these hard-to-recycle items. You can be part of this mission by participating in our recycling programs – and you can play a key role by encouraging brands and manufacturers to get involved. 

Did you know that brands are not obligated to offer recycling or other end-of-life solutions for their products and packaging? Your feedback to brands is important, and letting them know that recycling solutions for the products you buy are important to you will go a long way to both launching and scaling these recycling solutions. 

Here are a few questions you can ask to let brands know recycling is important to the planet, and to you: 

1. Can you make your products and packaging kerbside recyclable?

Encourage your favourite brands to shift to kerbside recyclable products and packaging. 

Local recycling services typically accept items for recycling if they can make a profit on the recycled materials. If the cost of logistics (the collection, transport, handling and storage of rubbish) plus processing (the cleaning, shredding and material conversion of rubbish) outweighs the value of recycled materials, items won’t be accepted in kerbside recycling solutions.

Brands make it easier for their customers to recycle when they ensure products and packaging are kerbside recyclable, and communicate this with clear on-pack recycling labels. This can help minimise recycling contamination, and also help local council services recycle more efficiently.

2. Can you make products with recycled materials, or create reusable packaging?

Brands can close the loop further by incorporating recycled materials into their products and packaging. Fewer virgin materials need to be extracted from the Earth when brands and manufacturers reuse materials.

A reuse packaging model like Loop can help brands and manufacturers to enable refillable versions of their conventional single-use products and activate a circular reuse ecosystem. Loop is yet to arrive in Australia and New Zealand, but you can tell brands about it now. 

3. Can you sponsor a TerraCycle recycling program for hard-to-recycle rubbish?

Ask your favourite brands to sponsor a TerraCycle recycling program. 

Brands can sponsor free recycling programs through TerraCycle by covering the cost of collecting and processing rubbish. This makes it free for consumers to recycle through the program. 

If brands are already sponsoring a program with TerraCycle, sign up! This lets brands know customers are keen to recycle and can encourage them to expand their program. 

Every action has impact, and all of us hold responsibility for protecting our planet. Keep doing your part and encourage others to do the same!