by Ann Withanee — October 6, 2010—Five Walmart stores on the East Coast will be the first to test a new collection system for 28 types of trash that TerraCycle turns into new products.
TerraCycle takes waste like candy wrappers, yogurt tubs, glue tubes, pens and coffee bags, which would otherwise be landfilled, and transforms them into products like tote bags, plant pots, backpacks, pencil cases and portable speakers.
The waste comes in from collection Brigades, which are schools that sign up to collect specific types of waste. TerraCycle donates 2 cents per item collected to the school or charity of the Brigade’s choice.
Brigades previously had to mail in trash they collect. The collection system at the five Walmarts, which went into operation October 1, allows anyone to drop off any waste TerraCycle accepts in converted 20-foot trailers at Walmart stores in Secaucus, Vineland, Deptford East and Lanoka Harbor, all in New Jersey, and Tullytown, Pennsylvania
TerraCycle has previously trialed collection systems for multiple waste streams at Home Depot, Petco, OfficeMax and Best Buy stores.
In addition to working together on the collection system, TerraCycle and Walmart teamed up on the new Trash for Cash Collection Contest, which will give five grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to the New Jersey public schools that collect the most waste through TerraCycle collection Brigades until Dec. 15.
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