Eliminate Plastic Food Packaging Waste with Upycling Programme

A national innovative programme launches in New Zealand to upcycle or recycle ‘un-recyclable’ plastic food storage waste such as sandwich bags into sustainable items.

Creating a litter-less lunch is now possible with a free programme to recycle and upcycle plastic food storage items called the GLAD Food Storage Brigade with TerraCycle and GLAD.

Each year, over 252,000 tonnes of plastic waste is thrown away and disposed of in New Zealand landfills. Previously, popular food storage items such as GLAD Wrap and GLAD food bags could not be placed in municipal recycling systems so were sent to landfill. 

The innovative programme provides nationwide access to recycling and diverting this waste from landfill using an easy ‘collect, store and ship’ method. New Zealanders are encouraged to simply start collecting their GLAD food storage products in any used cardboard box or re-usable bin, claim their free shipping label from the TerraCycle website then ship their waste items locally via New Zealand Post. The plastic food storage products will then be pelletised then recycled into sustainable items such as park benches.


Photo courtesy of TerraCycle

“Loving food and wasting less goes hand in hand with the GLAD Food Storage Brigade, making it free and easy to create every day litter-less lunches.  The national programme is an exciting new initiative that has positive benefits for the environment by diverting waste from landfill and giving back to the community, allowing collectors to raise money for their local school or favourite charity.” said Stacey Mearns, GLAD, NZ.

Collectors will be awarded two cents per used GLAD food storage product sent in, which they can then redeem to go towards a not-for-profit organisation or charity of their choice.
   
“It’s easy to enjoy a litter-less lunch at school, home or work by saving and giving your plastic food packaging a new life. Individuals and groups can participate in the programme, which is the first of its kind in New Zealand to collect plastic food storage on a national scale by providing a mail-in option and public drop off points” said Anna Minns, General Manager, TerraCycle, NZ.


Photo courtesy of TerraCycle

TerraCycle is the world leader in developing solutions for recycling ‘un-recyclable’ items and has kept more than four billion pieces of waste from landfills around the world.

TerraCycle New Zealand is also tackling other difficult to recycle waste streams with popular programmes for oral care waste, coffee capsules and yoghurt pouches.

Visit www.terracycle.co.nz to learn more or to sign up to the Brigade programme.