 | Tom Szaky |
Location
Trenton, NJ, United States
Role
RecyclerIndustry
Non-foodJob Title
CEOCompany
TerraCycleProfile
Tom Szaky is the 26 year-old Founder and CEO of TerraCycle, Inc. TerraCycle manufacturers eco-friendly consumer products from other company's used packaging. The company works with Kraft, Kellogg, Coca-Cola and many more companies to collect and reuse their pre- and post- consumer packaging waste.
The company first made waves my packaging its flagship products directly in reused soda bottles. TerraCycle continues to innovative innovative end uses for recyclable and NON-recyclable packaging types. TerraCycle currently has developed ways to directly reuse packaging types such as pouches, flexible film and wrappers, yogurt cups, wine corks, plastic bags, chip bags and much more. We turn these items, both post-industrial and post-consumer into eco-friendly products sold at major retailers.
TerraCycle is interested in exploring reuse options or consumer collection program for any manufacturers packaging materials. You can contact Albe(at)terracycle.net for more information.
Recent Blog Entries
What Happens When a Reusable Something Breaks? Time for a New Path
In recent years, consumer consciousness about the need for and economic value of making use of reusable packaging, containers and the like has risen a great deal, elevating (or should I say broadening) the range of people who actively and regularly choose to seek out such options. Water bottles and shopping bags are the primary examples of this, bottle options having gone from the Hippie staple Nalgene and not much else to decidedly trendy designs, drawing in those that may not even have factored ecological considerations into the equation when making their purchase decision. However they’re getting there, we in the industries that design, make, and reuse packaging are pleased it’s happening. But there’s a problem: What happens when these things break?
Posted May 10, 2010We Are All Greenwashers
Greenwashing comes in many forms. Vague language. Overstated claims. False associations. And the packaging you yourself are responsible for creating and/or processing. Come again? Yes. You know it well. The chasing arrows logo on packaging, with 1-7 in the middle. Yes, it’s a convenient identifier for recyclers and waste processors. But there’s a problem here. The general public thinks it means it means it’s recyclable. Not that it’s possible to do so “where facilities exist,” as some in the product world would say on their packaging. No, they think, across the board, this means they can toss their used packaging in the recycle bin, and voila, poof, it will get recycled, they’ve done their eco duty! You and I know that in many cases, that’s not true.
Posted March 10, 2010Stretching the Upcycling Boundary with Huggies and Scott
If you’ve read any of my articles on here, you probably know TerraCycle’s focus is on upcycling, the process of creating something of equal or greater value and quality from materials that may have otherwise been thrown away. We’ve done it by turning cookie wrappers into umbrellas, juice pouches into pencil cases, and LP records into clocks. But what would you say if I told you we’re now going to collect packaging from Huggies, and a range of Scott paper products, from toilet paper to moist wipes?
Posted November 21, 2009Terracycle crosses the border into Canada, together with Kraft Canada
[inline:Kool-Aid Small Tote.jpg]I’m returning to my roots, Canada, and learning some lessons that might be of use to us all, back here in the U.S.
Posted November 12, 2009Finding Sustainability in a Brave New World
http://www.greenerpackage.com/sites/default/files/M&Ms tote bag.jpg Have you eaten a candy bar today? Look at the wrapper. If you're in North America, there's a high likelihood that it was made by Mars . And before you toss it out, with or without the knowledge that it's not recyclable, stop.
Posted July 28, 2009Back to the Future: Remember the Milk Man?
Last week I was drinking a soda, and thought about the recently announced PlantBottle, the fully recyclable, 30% plant based bottle being rolled out by Coca-Cola. Then I thought, why bother? Why are these people spending such enormous resources trying to invent their way out of a hole?
Posted July 16, 2009Reuse: What's More Valuable Time or Material?
So many coffee lovers have switched to single portion delivery devices produced by a variety of brands, including Tassimo, Flavia and Green Mountain. The coffee tastes is always fresh, perfectly brewed and one doesn’t waste extra coffee left from brewing a full pot.
Posted 2 days agoReduce or Recycle: What's Better for the Environment?
Stonyfield Farm is a pioneer and respected leader in the world of sustainable business, . A model for any company truly concern with CSR practices. Yet their yogurt cups are non-recyclable, what do these green gurus know that we don’t? Since the mid 1980’s, Stonyfield Farm has been conscious of their packages’ environmental impact. Initially focusing on recyclability, Stonyfield Farm eventually realized that there are many other factors which influence the environmental impact of a package throughout its life cycle.
Posted February 13, 2009
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In response to the comment
In response to the comment above, absolutely none of that is in any way true. I welcome anyone to come visit our facilities in New Jersey to see for themselves that those accusations are ridiculous. TerraCycle, for starters, has been highly awarded by many independent social and environmental groups such as the Environmental Business Journal, Social Venture Network and Zerofootprint to name just a few. Second, our business model has been independently "Carbon Audited" and TerraCycle products, even when made in Mexico (which some of our products are) have an 80% smaller carbon footprint than comparable virgin products. I can produce that study to any interested parties. So this anonymous poster claiming our products are not environmentally responsible couldn't be more incorrect. We have been independently audited to show, in fact, our products are some of the greenest products out there. TerraCycle has never thrown away a single piece of packaging and I challenge this poster to prove otherwise. In fact, I'll overnight products made from obviously used packaging to anyone who inquires. You can still SMELL the juice on our drink pouch products. The anonymous poster, who wouldn't even claim his lies, is right that we DO take post-industrial waste, misprinted, damaged or otherwise unusable packaging from our partners. Anyone with knowledge of this material knows that end-run rolls of this type are either landfilled or incinerated. So in fact it is just as eco-friendly to use end-runs as it is post-consumer waste. TerraCycle however uses both. Want to see the studies, visit the factories or hold in your hands our upcycled products? Email Albe (at) terracycle dot net. That invitation is especially open to you, "Anonymous Poster"!!! Cheers, Tom