Elevator How often do you sit back and think about where your household waste ends up? As humans, over our lifetime, we accumulate so much stuff, without thinking about the item’s final destination, may that be tomorrow or years down the road. Every year, Canadians alone throw away 3 million tonnes of plastic waste, only 9% of which is recycled (Canada.ca, 2020). However, recycling is no longer limited to blue bins and composting. While composting and separating your plastics from non-plastic is highly important and impactful, what about the items that we don’t necessarily think about on a daily basis, like used clothes, old electronics and office supply, or an issue that’s become more prevalent over the last year, personal protective equipment? While you might be tempted to toss it in the trash and forget about it, a little research can go a long way. Here are a few credible recycling programs to know about before you start your yearly Spring cleaning, or even head into the salon for your next trim.
TerraCycle
TerraCycle is a recycling company that partners with collectors and major consumer companies to “recycle the unrecyclable”. This means that TerraCycle emcompasses many recylign programs that are specific to individual companies. For example, Carter’s, a well-known maker of children’s clothing recently announced their recycling program, KIDCYCLE, which is led under TerraCycle. Nespresso, your favourite nespresso and coffee machine, is also partnered with TerraCycle to recycle their capsules.
To search for other recycling programs or to find out which products can be recycled through TerraCycle, simply visit the website and enter the product you’re looking to dispose of in the search bar. Whether it’s cosmetics, clothing, cannabis packaging, old stationary, toys or baby supplies, they have solutions to almost everything.
Green Circle Salons
Green Circle Salons is an innovative program that diverts 95% of salon waste including hair clipping, excess hair colour and used metals. The website showcases how salon waste can be repurposed, for example, hair clippings can be turned into bio-composite plastic which can create items like recycling bins, but it can also be used for humanitarian efforts. Due to COVID-19, personal protective equipment (PPE) is now a large area of concern when it comes to waste. Green Circle Salons will also recycle PPE waste from salons, including face masks, disinfecting wipes and gloves. Chatters, salon-based retailer and beloved client, is the largest salon chain in North America that is certified sustainable.
Electronic Products Recycling Association
Electronic waste may not be something you need to worry about on a daily, or even monthly basis, but what do you do with old cell phones, computers and other electronic devices once you’ve buried them out of their hiding places? Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) works with recyclers across Canada to ensure electronic waste is recycled in a manner that protects the environment as well as worker health and safety. Those looking to get rid of old electronics can visit the website to find out how to arrange for a pickup in your specific province.
Furniture Bank
For about 23 years now, Furniture Bank has been focused on redistributing gently-used furniture from donors in the community to families and individuals experiencing furniture poverty. Rather than having old furniture end up in landfills, Furniture Bank gives it a new home. If you’re looking to get rid of pieces in your home, you can request a pickup, starting at $150 (you will receive a charitable tax receipt for the value of your items). If your items need a little extra TLC before they arrive at their new home, Furniture Bank will also repair and refurbish those items.