Recycling with Incredible Bulk
/We have exciting news in that we are now offering recycling opportunities when you visit the van! We have invested in two Terracycle recycling boxes to offer you the opportunity to recycle the hard to recycle. We focused on two areas of longer-use single-use plastic packaging which we know are hard to give up and find alternatives for.
Stationery Recycling:
We use a fair bit of stationery in the van and know that these are common items to use and harder to find plastic free alternatives.
Please bring your small plastic or metal discarded office supplies: empty plastic or metal pens and pencils, pencil sharpeners, staplers, hole punchers, clips and clamps, disposable and reusable tape dispensers, plastic file dividers, plastic folders, file pockets, business cards holders, binders, glue sticks, rubber stamps, discarded backing from sticker and label sheets, correction fluid bottles and other correction supplies. Please do not bring e-waste, like electronic staplers and label making machines, colouring books or pressurised canisters.
What happens with this waste? Once our box is full we return to Terracycle who then mechanically and/or manually separate the waste into metals, fibres, and plastics. Metals are smelted so they may be recycled. The fibres (such as paper or wood based products) are recycled or composted. The plastics undergo extrusion and pelletisation to be moulded into new recycled plastic products.
Oral Care Recycling:
We know it can be tough to switch to natural, plastic free toothpaste options so wanted to offer recycling for those who have struggled to switch.
Please bring us any brand toothpaste tubes and caps, toothbrushes (including electric toothbrush heads), toothbrush and toothpaste tube outer packaging and floss containers.
What happens to this waste? Once our box is full we will send off to Terracycle who then mechanically and hand separate the waste into fibres (like wood and coated paper), plastics and other materials. The resulting fibres will be hydropulped to separate out coatings (like wax and plastics). The separated fibre will then be recycled into new paper products, or composted if recycling is not possible. The resulting plastics will be recycled into plastic polymers. Flexible and rigid plastics undergo extrusion and pelletisation to be moulded into various recycled plastic products.
Best practices for recycling:
Please only bring items that are at the end of their useful life, look to get items fixed, upcycled or gifted to charity or sold if still in good working order. In order to recycle properly, please make sure all excess product has been removed from packaging (i.e. toothpaste from toothpaste tubes). Additionally, if you choose to rinse your product, please note that it must be completely dry prior to dropping off with us
Looking to find alternatives?
Check out our Minimal Waste Stationery Guide or Plastic Free Oral Care Guide
More info on Terracycle Zero Waste Boxes
