Tom's of Maine Challenges Families to Recycle Broken Toys for Earth Month to Help Send Less Waste to Landfills

KENNEBUNK, Maine, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents are always looking for ways to teach their children simple lessons that will benefit the planet and make every day Earth Day. With three billion toys purchased in 2014 alone, the challenge of what to do with broken dolls, cars without wheels or stuffed animals coming unraveled is greater than ever. Beginning today, unusable toys that aren't fit for donating can now find a new home other than a landfill. Natural personal care brand Tom's of Maine and TerraCycle®, the world's leader in recycling the non-recyclable, are teaming up during Earth Month to offer the first program that empowers families across the country to share in a teachable moment and recycle broken toys into something useful like park benches.

Our recent study* showed that more than half (55%) of parents frequently throw out toys to reduce clutter in their home. Now, families are encouraged to sign up for a Toy Recycling Box, available free of charge at www.TomsofMaine.com/toyrecycling while supplies last, and work with friends, community centers and schools to teach kids how to reduce waste.

The boxes come with a prepaid shipping label for an easy return process once full. Everything from dolls to board game pieces can be placed in the box and shipped to TerraCycle free of charge.

"It's not easy to throw away our kids' favorite toys when they are beyond repair," said Susan Dewhirst, goodness programs manager at Tom's of Maine. "However, when they are worn out and can't be donated, recycling or upcycling toys is a simple way to reshape the way kids think about waste. Thirty years ago, we would never have imagined that toy parts could be repurposed into a new picnic table. Imagine the possibilities ahead if we all work together."

For 45 years, Tom's of Maine has been making natural personal care products with a focus on natural, sustainable and responsible.  Today, Tom's of Maine is focused on a goal of zero waste to landfills by 2020 at its manufacturing facility in Maine. As well, through its partnership with TerraCycle, the Tom's of Maine Natural Care Brigade® enlists volunteers to collect personal care packaging from any brand for recycling, helping to keep 11,000 pounds of packaging out of landfills in 2014 alone.   

"Parents are able to donate toys, but there hasn't been a way to keep broken or incomplete toys and games out of the landfill until now," said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. "With the Toy Recycling Boxes, Tom's of Maine and TerraCycle are tackling one of the last frontiers of recycling and giving environmentally-minded parents a solution they can feel good about."

The complete list of toys that can be recycled includes: 

• dolls
• discarded toys or toy pieces
• cards
• dice
• game boards
• packaging from board games
• books with sound
• handheld electronic games and players
• remote control vehicles
• electronic stuffed animals
• baby toys
• building sets
• stuffed animals
• puzzle pieces
• game pieces
• action figures

Tom's of Maine gives 10% of profits back to helping communities and families across the nation. For more information on the #StartYoungLiveGreen campaign, visit TomsofMaine.com and Facebook.com/TomsofMaine.

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*General population study fielded by Toluna Omnibus March 2015 of 500 parents with children under 12 years of age

About Tom's of Maine
Tom's of Maine is a leading natural products company focused on oral and personal care carrying high quality toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, deodorant bar soap, body wash, body lotion, hand cream, lip balm and baby care products. The company has a long-standing commitment to supporting people, communities and the living planet. For 45 years, Tom's of Maine has supported hundreds of nonprofit efforts by giving 10% of its profits back to organizations that support human and environmental goodness and by encouraging employees to use 5% (12 days) of employee time to volunteer. Tom's of Maine employees regularly contribute suggestions for improving the company's high sustainability standards. And their ideas, from wind power to ways to improve recycled and recyclable packaging options, are critical to the company's sensitive way of doing business. Most Tom's of Maine products are vegan, kosher, halal-certified and gluten-free. All packaging is recyclable through a partnership with upcycling leader TerraCycle or participating municipalities. Tom's of Maine enjoys partnering with its consumers, suppliers and community organizations to support lasting, positive change that is good for people and the planet. Visit us online at http://www.tomsofmaine.com/ or at http://www.facebook.com/TomsofMaine.

About TerraCycle
Founded in 2001, TerraCycle, Inc., is the world's leader in the collection and repurposing of hard-to-recycle post-consumer waste, ranging from used chip bags to coffee capsules to cigarette butts.  The waste is collected through free, national, brand-funded platforms called "Brigades," as well as various consumer and government-funded models.  The collected waste is reused, upcycled or recycled into a variety of affordable, sustainable consumer products and industrial applications.  Each year, across 21 countries, TerraCycle collects and repurposes billions of pieces of waste, donating millions of dollars to schools and charities in the process. TerraCycle is the subject of a new half-hour comedy, 'Human Resources,' on Pivot TV. Season two airs August 2015. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in our recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.

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SOURCE Tom's of Maine

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