TerraCycle announces launch of its Zero Waste Bag

TerraCycle has announced the launch of its Zero Waste Bag, a solution for consumers to recycle “hard to recycle” rubbish. 

The Zero Waste Bag is designed to offer consumers a simple and convenient way to recycle 14 common waste streams which are not collected in council kerbside recycling collections, meaning they are usually destined for landfill, incineration or the natural environment. The accepted waste streams include plastic packaging, crisp and snack packets, cosmetic products and packaging, and medicine blister packs. 

The company says that the latest household waste recycling rates released by the Government show that Wales is the only UK nation currently recycling more than 50 percent. Yet new research reveals some 92% percent of Britons believe recycling has a key role to play in combating the waste crisis, with more than 9-in-10 UK residents already recycling at home. 

However, 62% expressed frustration at the number of items their local council does not accept in its recycling collections, and 76% percent want to recycle more at home, with 62% saying they would like to go zero waste, and 19% admitting to ‘wish-cycling’ - putting waste in their recycling bin even if they know it is not accepted in their council’s recycling collections. 

The Zero Waste Bag is a paid for solution and comes in two sizes priced at £25 for a small bag and £39 for a large, with discounts available for bundle purchases. 

The price of the Zero Waste Bag covers the cost of delivery to the consumer, shipping of the full bag of waste back to TerraCycle via InPost and the cost of processing the returned waste and turning it into a reusable material that can be incorporated into new products. 

Due to the mix of materials these items contain, the processes required to recycle them are complex which means that the recycling process costs more than the value of the recycled material. This is the reason why councils cannot accept these items for recycling.