3.19

TerraCycle: Recycle the Unrecyclable or Greenwashing?

In the last case study we’ll look at TerraCycle, based in the United States and operating in over 20 countries globally. TerraCycle’s concept is to work with the waste that no one wants to recycle, dealing with the otherwise unrecyclable.

TerraCycle is a global recycling company focused on eliminating the idea of waste by recycling typically ‘unrecyclable’ products, such as beauty empties and snack wrappers, not accepted by standard municipal services. They operate through Free Recycling Programs sponsored by brands and paid Zero Waste Box solutions for collecting and processing these complex materials.

Beyond recycling, TerraCycle developed Loop, a platform designed for product reuse. Loop partners with consumer brands to transition their supply chain from single-use disposable containers to durable, standardized packaging. Consumers pay a deposit for the container, which is returned to participating retailers after use, professionally cleaned to industrial standards, and refilled for subsequent use. This system creates an infrastructural model for eliminating disposable consumption by facilitating the repeated circulation of packaging assets.

In the video below, Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle, talks about their work and the idea behind the concept.

The second video takes a critical look at TerraCycle’s approach to recycling, trying to answer the question of whether TerraCycle actually succeeds in recycling the unrecyclable or if it is primarily a greenwashing mechanism for big, unsustainable brands.

Further reading, learning and references

TerraCycle – About https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/about-terracycle/

Bukowski, H. and Rok, B. (2018). TERRACYCLE. A Circular Economy Business Model Case http://hdl.handle.net/10347/20258

© Daniel Mossberg, CEMUS, Uppsala University and Sonali Phadke, studio Alternatives and Stephanie Foote