As we’ve already noted, the main benefit of Terracycle is a drastic reduction in recyclable plastic, foil, and other materials polluting our environment. Food wrappers are now the single largest source of pollution on our beaches and rivers, and whilst some of the low-density and layered plastics can’t be effectively recycled, a significant proportion of this waste could be recycled or repurposed to cut pollution if we had better facilities and organisation.

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Similarly, extractive manufacturing processes can be reduced by making use of plastics that otherwise end up in giant garbage patches in the ocean. Some examples of innovation like this include turning plastic bottles into pothole fillers - claimed to be 3 times more resistant than asphalt! - and this New Zealand enterprise which has saved 24 million printer cartridges from landfill and turning them into pens and road base!

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Terracycle streams have led to a wide range of innovative waste-saving circular economy project start ups, from planters to playgrounds to ping pong tables! They don’t all start with a P! But they do all start with you getting involved with a local Terracycle scheme and reaching out to your community to transform how we consider consumption and waste in our day-to-day lives. 

 

In addition to the tangible waste reduction, there are hidden benefits to programmes such as Terracycle. The phrase ‘out of sight out of mind’ applies here. Our consumerist lifestyles are so convenient that we don’t even consider how things are made, the impact of manufacturing facilities on the neighbouring communities, or where our rubbish ends up. 

 

Schemes like Terracycle can be an effective educational tool in raising people’s conscious consideration of how their behaviour, purchasing, and consumption impacts our ecosystems and fellow human beings. Pop in to the Zero Carbon Guildford building to check out some of our displays and exhibits on circular economy and waste.