TerraCycle will begin upcycling pens and markers

Photo: mrbill/Flickr

TerraCycle does some truly creative things with trash. The company can upcycle an Oreo cookie wrapper into a stylish backpack, used Frito-Lay chip bags are turned into two-pocket folders, and TerraCycle turns Huggies diaper packaging into diaper bags. The company collects waste products through several “brigades” and today it announced its most recent endeavor — the Writing Instrument Brigade.

 

The Writing Instrument Brigade is a partnership between TerraCycle and Sharpie, Paper Mate and EXPO brand products. Used writing instruments will be collected for repurposing. In addition to keeping these products out of landfills, the Writing Instrument Brigade is also designed to raise funds for schools, charities and nonprofit organizations. Two cents will be donated for each writing instrument submitted as part of the program.

 

While schools and other nonprofit organizations will begin to collect their own used writing instruments, this new brigade is a great way for businesses to expand their corporate recycling program while raising funds for a local school or charity.

 

Signing up is simple: have a company representative sign up on the TerraCycle website and set up an onsite writing instrument collection center. After you’ve collected enough used pens and markers to justify the shipping’s impact on the environment, the company representative will log back on to the TerraCycle website and print out a pre-paid shipping label. It’s that easy.