Terracycle Brigades!

Terracycle works hard to keep their Brigadeers updated on items that are collected and that credit is given for. The list is continually expanding and for that I am glad. This past school year, we earned over $200. That money will go towards upgrading items in my classroom, fixing some of the broken items and towards a new pencil sharpener (the students burned out my new one during TCAP week!)

I know that some people will buy and consume items that are packaged in plastic regardless of the impact (health, environment.....) There are also people will buy and consume items packaged in plastic and tell themselves it is okay because the packaging is recyclable.

I like the Terracycle program because the company strives to keep items out of our landfill and upcycle them into other products. I do encourage my students to recycle items for this reason. I tell them that they SHOULD NOT purchase items simply because the packaging can be recycled, but if they already use those items, then please work to give the waste new life. So, for those of you who are helping me collect items, or are interested in helping me collect items, here is a detailed list of what is acceptable into the brigades that I belong to. You can either pass the items off to me, or email me and I will send you a label to attach to your box or envelope of trash!

DRINK POUCH BRIGADE - Any Brand, Must be the foil juice pouch (we will not accept the cardboard juice boxes)

CANDY WRAPPER BRIGADE - Any Brand, We do not take the candy boxes you might find in the movie theaters. A good way to determine if it is accepted is if the wrapper's material closely resembles the same material Mars candy wrappers are made from (i.e. Starburts, M&M's, Snickers)

COOKIE WRAPPER BRIGADE - Any Brand, We will not take the plastic cookie trays, only the wrappers (and no cardboard boxes, only plastic wrappers)

CHIP BAG BRIGADE - Any Brand, As a rule of thumb, you will know it's an accepted bag as long as the bag in question is made from similar material that a Frito-Lay Bag is made from (Pretzel bags are also acceptable, even if they have a clear window on the front)

ENERGY BAR WRAPPER BRIGADE - Any Brand, as long as it has a foil inside. This includes Rice Krispie Treat wrappers.

KASHI PACKAGE BRIGADE - ANY Kashi packaging, including boxes, wrappers, linings and trays.

SCOTT BRAND BRIGADE – SCOTT BRAND ONLY, Any outside wrapper plastic, from Paper towels, napkins and toilet tissue.

HUGGIES BRAND BRIGADE – outer wrap plastic Packaging from ANY BRAND diaper/pullup product, this also included feminine products.

AVEENO BEAUTY BRIGADE – all personal care plastic tubes

SCOTCH TAPE BRIGADE - ANY BRAND Tape dispensers and cores

MALT-O-MEAL CEREAL BRIGADE – ANY BRAND plastic cereal bags, including those inside cardboard boxes!

GUM PACKAGE BRIGADE – ANY BRAND individual gum wrappers and multipack bags, to foil packs and clear cellophane exterior wrappers.

WRITING INSTRUMENTS - Any Brand and any pens, markers, highlighters or mechanical pencils.

ELMERS GLUE CREW - Only Elmer's brand glue containers

NEOSPORIN TUBE BRIGADE - Only Neosporin brand & only the 0.5 ounce & 1.0-ounce tubes are accepted

STARBUCKS COFFEE BAG BRIGADE - ANY BRAND coffee bags are accepted. Only coffee BAGS are accepted, so please no plastic containers.

LUNCH KIT BRIGADE - Only Oscar Meyer brand Lunchables are acceptable and we are accepting the plastic tray and the peel back film only, not the cardboard packaging

COLGATE ORAL CARE BRIGADE - ANY BRAND toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, and packaging

SPREADS BRIGADE – Any containers from spreadable butter products. (I can’t believe it’s not butter, country crock)

YOGURT BRIGADE - ANY BRAND-- The yogurt cups must stack neatly (the top must be wider than the bottom)

HOME STORAGE BRIGADE - ANY BRAND plastic baggies or re-usable containers (that are no longer re-usable)