In the Headlines ~ The TerraCycle Global Foundation reached an impressive milestone last month, announcing that they’ve removed over 2 million pounds of waste from rivers, canals, and waterways. Since its founding, the nonprofit organization has targeted ocean pollution right at its source—waterways. When polluted, they send waste directly to oceans, harming sea life and the environment. Over 1000 tons have been diverted and recycled. And, since the Foundation is founded by New Jersey-based TerraCycle—a two-decades-old company known for turning plastic waste into useful items for sale—none of the litter collected ever goes to waste. 

Operating in canals throughout Bangkok, Thailand, TerraCycle’s “world-class river waste prevention systems” are implemented with the local community and governments to address the complex challenge of collecting waste before it enters and pollutes global aquatic systems. The Foundation is currently operating wildlife-safe river traps in Thai canals to recover waste directly from the water. The waste is then sorted, and plastics are separated and recycled. “We take a holistic approach to reducing plastic waste in waterways,” said James Scott, Executive Director of the TerraCycle Global Foundation. “Our operations provide safe, stable employment for members of the local Lat Phrao community in Bangkok while creating cleaner and healthier environments for communities along the canal.”

“Reaching this waste removal milestone is only the beginning of the Foundation’s work to clean our oceans and preserve the planet.” Indeed, last year the Foundation made a Clinton Global Initiative ‘Commitment to Action’, with a project that prevents ocean waste. They pledged to replicate and scale its successful canal cleanup model in a new region in Southeast Asia and establish a material recovery center as a central hub for waste management and educational programs.

About TerraCycle ~ Is Working to Eliminate the Idea of Waste

There is a global trash epidemic as a result of overconsumption and a disposable lifestyle. Although most materials are not viable to recycle, even sophisticated waste is theoretically recyclable. Because of this, garbage accumulates in landfills and contaminates the environment while virgin resources are taken out of the ground to make new items. Their goal at TerraCycle is to "Eliminate the Idea of Waste" wherein they collaborate with organizations, governments, and individuals all across the world to prevent waste from ending up in landfills or being burned. Together, with creativity and teamwork, they have created the first solutions in the world for everything from reuse to recycling. They have won over 200 awards for social entrepreneurship and sustainable business.

The 'Loop' platform, which enables any business to produce reusable versions of their product packaging and any shop to make those available to customers, was unveiled by TerraCycle to round out the decade. The goal of the TerraCycle Global Foundation, established in 2020, is to get plastic out of canals and rivers before it reaches the ocean. They introduced SalonCycle, an easy solution to recycle all salon trash, in the US in 2021. Additionally, they recycled garbage gathered by Japanese customers to make every podium used in the Tokyo Olympics. As a result of the demand from their collector community, they launched TerraCycle Made, a brand of items created from the waste they jointly recycle.

TerraCycle announced that with the addition of Australia and New Zealand in 2013, the company had expanded its operations to over 20 nations. They mentioned that the following year, they had introduced the Zero Garbage Box division, which provided recycling options for a significantly broader range of garbage. TerraCycle stated that with the opening of TerraCycle Japan, they had continued their global expansion efforts. In the same year, it was noted that Pivot and TerraCycle had entered into a TV partnership for TerraCycle's Human Resources television program, which had debuted in August 2014. It was mentioned that in 2016, the company had initiated the first industrial recycling operation in the US with Henkel, focusing on recycling adhesive packaging. Additionally, TerraCycle stated that they had completed their first purchase in 2018 to enhance their business-to-business capabilities by diversifying into regulated waste recycling services. They also mentioned the establishment of their materials sector, which produced goods and packaging from trash collected from rock and roll events, the ocean, and other sources.

Learn About Aquatic Trash ~ 

Mismanaged trash that escapes into waterways can create a wide range of problems. Aquatic trash affects water quality, endangers plants and animals, and pollutes the outdoor spaces that we depend on for tourism and recreation. Though all types of aquatic trash can have potentially harmful impacts, plastic waste is particularly concerning because it tends to persist in the environment and its widespread production, use, and disposal.

Its Environmental Impacts:  When exposed to trash pollution, wildlife in aquatic and terrestrial environments face physical hazards from ingestion and entanglement. The impact that trash has on wildlife depends on a diverse range of factors, including the debris size, type, shape, and quantity, the type of organism that is exposed, and the type and frequency of exposure. Animals that become entangled in debris risk suffocating or drowning. Many species mistake plastic debris for food or inadvertently ingest plastic debris while feeding or swimming. Once ingested, this debris can damage the digestive tract and interfere with an animal’s ability to feed, leading to starvation or other negative health effects. Scientists have found that at least 558 species, including turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals are reported to have ingested or become entangled in plastic waste. 

Let's See How You Can Contribute By Your Actions ~
 

The most effective way to prevent trash from polluting our waterways is to reduce the amount of waste you create.   

• Replace single-use plastic packaging, bottles, and containers with reusable products or eliminate packaging when possible. Discover 10 ways to Unpackage Your Life page.
• Repair, rather than replace, broken items.
• There are many ways that you can take action in your community to reduce the amount of trash in streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
• Learn more about how trash enters our waterways and impacts our communities, economies, and natural ecosystems. Share what you learn with your family, friends, and peers.

The land, the water, the air, and the earth are all borrowed from our children rather than given to us by our ancestors. Therefore, we must give it to them in the same manner that it was given to us. — Mahatma Gandhi The founder of contemporary India and a maestro of nonviolent resistance served a reminder to us of our duty to future generations. We must protect the environment we live in, especially its water systems, for the sake of our future generations!