Earth Week Recycling Programs Give Life to Previously Unrecyclable Items

TRENTON, N.J., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Your Solo party cups and the flip flops you wear while enjoying those drinks now have a second life under three new national recycling initiatives.  

Solo Cup Company announced it is joining forces with TerraCycle®, Inc. to recycle its Solo Squared® party cups.  Through the Solo Cup Brigade®, individuals, schools and non-profits can collect used Solo Squared plastic cups and return them to TerraCycle where they will be recycled into plastic that will be used to make other items such as equipment for playgrounds, park benches and outdoor furniture.

To sign up for the Solo Cup Brigade, go to www.terracycle.net to sign up and start collecting immediately.  Collected cups are shipped to TerraCycle and Solo pays all shipping costs.  In addition, for every Solo Squared cup received, two cents will be donated to Keep America Beautiful or the charity or school of the collecting Brigade member's choice.  The Brigade is a year-round program.

As part of another unique recycling initiative, spring shoppers can participate in The Flip Flop Replay by bringing used flip flops to any Old Navy store in the U.S.  Instead of ending up in local landfills, the collected flip flops will be sent to TerraCycle to be turned into playgrounds that will be donated to four communities across the country.  The program runs from Earth Day, April 22 through May 21.  Visit www.oldnavy.com/storelocator to find an Old Navy store near you.

Office Depot customers can trade in used writing instruments April 17-23 at any store nationwide.  In exchange for ten pens, pencils or markers, customers will receive a coupon toward a new Newell Rubbermaid Office product, maker of Sharpie®, EXPO®, Paper Mate® and more. The collected instruments will be sent to TerraCycle to be turned into new office supply products ranging from trash cans to desk organizers.  

People interested in keeping additional items out of their local landfills can sign up on TerraCycle's website to collect one or more 40 non-recyclable products or packaging.  The waste is collected through TerraCycle's Brigade® programs, which are free fundraisers that pay schools and non-profits for every piece of waste returned.  TerraCycle is an international upcycling and recycling company that takes difficult-to-recycle packaging and turns it into affordable, eco-friendly products.  For more information, visit www.terracycle.net.

SOURCE TerraCycle, Inc.