Sharpie(R), Paper Mate(R) & EXPO(R) Brands Partner With TerraCycle(TM) to Launch First-Ever Upcycling Program for Used Writing Instruments

TRENTON, N.J., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharpie®, Paper Mate® and EXPO®, three of the world's most recognized writing and marking brands, today announced a new partnership with TerraCycle™, the pioneering upcycling company that finds new ways to repurpose otherwise throwaway items. The partnership will create the world's first program to collect and reuse pens, markers and other writing instruments while also helping raise funds for schools, charities, and non-profits nationwide.  

Collection centers called "Writing Instrument Brigades" will be set up at participating locales, primarily in large corporations and schools where writing instruments are used most.  For every writing instrument collected at a Writing Instrument Brigade collection center, two cents will be paid to a school, community group, charity or non-profit organization of the participant's choice. Overall, the collection efforts will reduce landfill proliferation, educate and inspire consumers to get involved, and provide much needed funding to schools and non-profit groups nationwide.  

"Keeping one pen or marker out of a landfill may seem like a small contribution, but multiply that by the estimated $5 billion* of writing instruments sold in the U.S. each year and it is a big opportunity to reduce waste to landfills," said Ben Gadbois, President of Markers, Highlighters, Art and Office Essentials for Newell Rubbermaid Office Products, maker of Sharpie, EXPO and Paper Mate products.  "As the world's leading producer of writing instruments, it's not only our responsibility but our moral obligation to do our part to help the environment. TerraCycle offers us an innovative way to repurpose writing instruments after their useful life has expired."

The collected writing instruments will be dissembled and/or reprocessed to make new products.

How a Writing Brigade Works

The free program is available to any individual or group and is easy to operate. Interested parties simply sign up with TerraCycle (www.terracycle.net) to establish a Brigade location and then select the school, charity or non-profit group to which they want their collection funds directed. Each Brigade prints a pre-paid shipping label from TerraCycle's website to ship the collected writing instruments to TerraCycle for upcycling into new products.  TerraCycle will donate two cents per writing instrument to the collecting Brigade's chosen organization.

Why Should an Organization Get Involved?

In partnership with TerraCycle, Sharpie, Paper Mate and EXPO brands are proud to offer a simple, easy way for organizations and individuals to help the environment and local communities at the same time.  The one-of-a-kind program provides an outlet for millions of used writing instruments to be upcycled instead of discarded.

For more information on the Writing Instruments Brigade, visit any of these websites: www.sharpie.com, www.papermate.com, www.expomarkers.com.  

For all media inquiries or to request interviews with TerraCycle or brand representatives, please contact George Chevalier at 609.393.4252 x249 or [email protected].

* As reported by WIMA, Writing Instruments Manufacturers Association, 2007.

SOURCE TerraCycle Inc.