TerraCycle Canada Works with Companies to Rethink Waste

Jul 23, 2012 10:15 PM ET
Campaign: CSR Blogs

Posted by Meirav Even Har

"Nothing needs to go to landfill. We're about finding solutions for as many types of waste as possible," says Denise Barnard, Director of Communications at TerraCycle Canada. I spoke with Denise to better understand the company behind the ever-increasing line of products I've been noticing around me. Upcycling is now a recognizable term for using every aspect of waste to create another product. How has the Canadian market been responding to the TerraCycle line of solutions and products? If the company's growth here is any indication, it seems that Canadians are ready to help change the concept of garbage fromwaste to useful.

TerraCycle 101

TerraCycle Canada has quickly grown since it opened its doors in 2009, working with over twenty national partners. Founded by Tom Szaky in 2002, the company has made the Inc. 500|5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America for the fourth year in a row. The Canadian office, based in Toronto offers national programs called Brigades® to collect previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste.

How does it work? 

Groups or individuals participate by selecting specific waste stream(s) thereby joining a Brigade.

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Meirav Even-Har is a Justmeans staff blogger. She reports on Canadian CSR issues. Meirav is an independent sustainability consultant and writer working in Toronto, Canada.