TERRACYCLE FOR SAY!
updated Sept. 2, 2024

You are welcome to leave many items, most of which are not allowed in Somerville's curbside recycling, on my Davis Square porch for me to ship to TerraCycle for recycling and, in doing so, get a little money for Somerville Arts for Youth, Inc. But, please always check this page first, as TerraCycle occasionally discontinues or changes programs!

Also, no wish-cycling! Please only leave things on my porch if they are listed below, not just because they can’t go into curbside recycling and/or are similar to things I collect.

And, of course, please remember to reduce (some deodorants are now available in plastic-free containers), reuse (black take-out containers are sometimes used for food in our community fridges), and curbside recycle (more information in the “Other Recycling Resources” towards the bottom of this page).

Sept. 2024 Updates: Because one of the two yearly points redemption periods is approaching, please drop off as much as you can by October 14^th. If you are leaving items that are only acceptable when they are from certain brands (eg pumps, sprays), please leave a note telling me what brand they are, message me that information, or just leave the entire empty product (eg pump or spray bottle) and I’ll put the part that can go in curbside recycling (eg plastic bottle without the pump or spray) out with my house’s recycling.

green highlight = please leave on my porch by October 14 for extra points

yellow highlight = no points but you are still welcome to leave on my porch

red highlight = do not leave on my porch!

I am registered for programs which take ALL BRANDS of the following items:

· deodorant containers & caps

· toothpaste tubes & caps

· floss containers

· toothbrushes

· toothbrush outer packaging

· phone cases

· socks (not tights or pantyhose) that are clean but won’t be worn because have holes, are missing mate, etc.

· hair tools and appliances (including hair dryers, curling irons, and styling irons)

· squeezable snack plastic pouches and caps [extra points for Serenity Kids ones dropped off by Oct. 14]

· empty sauce (eg ketchup and soy sauce from take-out) packets

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch, and try to support restaurants that offer reusable takeout containers such as those which participate in the Recirclable program: rigid black plastic takeout containers

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch, but some of this can be recycled through Pact (boxes at many retailers) or at Nordstrom stores: haircare and skincare packaging

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch, but some of this can be recycled at Staples stores: empty/dried out pens, markers, mechanical pencils, glue sticks, watercolor sets, and packaging from writing instruments

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: cough and sore throat drop packaging

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: cookware, bakeware, and cutlery

· CURRENTLY NOT GETTING POINTS FOR THESE SO PLEASE USE Somerville’s textile recycling program: non-donatable, clean baby & kid clothing

I am also registered for programs which only accept THEIR OWN BRANDS:

· ACT “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as the safety film that is on the cap of their mouthwash

· Allegra “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as bottles that are smaller than a credit card so shouldn’t go in curbside recycling, blister packs

· amika hair care packaging

· ARM & HAMMER plastic pouches and toothpaste tubes

· Arthritis Hot “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as tubes and caps

· Aspercreme “hard-to-recycle” packaging such aerosol cans, tubes, and caps

· Aussie packaging, including Aussie shampoo and conditioner bottles, flexible plastic packaging such as color packets, flexible plastic tubes, and complex closures [Most Aussie containers can go in curbside recycling, but the pumps cannot. Feel free to leave all Aussie packaging on my porch so I know what the pumps came from, and I will then put the bottles out with my curbside recycling and send the pumps to Teracycle.]

· Babybel product packaging, such as cellophane, tag, net, metal clasps, wax, plastic wrappers and pouches

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: Barilla packaging

· Benebone nylon dog chew toys

· Bimbo Bakeries USA bags (this includes Arnold, Ball Park, Brownberry, Lender’s Bagels, Oroweat, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, Thomas’, and more which are listed at https://www.bimbobakeriesusa.com/ )

· BLACK + DECKER home appliances and tools

· Bostitch tools

· Brita dispensers, pitchers, bottles, filters, and plastic filter packaging

· Burt’s Bees personal care, beauty care, and lip care packaging

· BuzzBallz and BuzzTallz rigid plastic and aluminum containers, flexible plastic overwraps

· Capzasin “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as roll-ons and caps

· Chesapeake Bay Candle containers and lids (candle wax should be removed), room spray 1.5 ounces and under

· Cortizone-10 product packaging including tubes, dark plastic bottles, tubs, sticks, pumps and caps

· CRAFTSMAN tools

· dermalogica skin care packaging

· DEWALT tools

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: Diva menstrual cups and packaging

· Dunkin’ flexible ground and whole bean coffee bags

· Dulcolax “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as bottles that are smaller than a credit card so shouldn’t go in curbside recycling, blister packs, flexible pouches

· Entenmann's Little Bites pouches and Minis film packaging

· eos (not EO Essentials) lip, lotion, and shave packaging

· Evolve wrappers

· Funsicle inflatable pools and floats

· Garnier skincare and haircare product containers

· Gatorade/G Endurance wrappers and pods

· Gerber baby food packaging and small and large hook Gerber baby clothing hangers.

· Gold Bond aerosol spray cans and product packaging including tubes, dark plastic bottles, tubs, sticks, pumps and caps

· Good Chemistry perfume packaging

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: good2grow character tops

· Icy Hot “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as aerosol spray cans, tubes, and caps

· IRWIN tools

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: Kate Somerville skin care packaging

· LeapFrog electronic learning devices and electronic toys (batteries removed, please)

· LENOX tools

· LILYSILK non-donatable textiles

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: L.O.L. Surprise! packaging

· Lundberg Family Farms flexible packaging

· MAC Tools

· Mountain House flexible plastic pouches

· Murad bottles, pumps, jars, lids, tubes, and caps

· Muscle Milk wrappers

· Nasacort “hard-to-recycle” packaging

· Off The Eaten Path commercially-compostable snack bags

· OxiClean plastic pouches

· Pantene non-aerosol packaging including caps, lids and tubes [Most Pantene bottles can go in curbside recycling, but feel free to leave all Pantene packaging on my porch so I know what the caps and lids came from. I will then put the bottles out with my curbside recycling and send the caps and lids to Teracycle.]

· Paula’s Choice Skincare packaging

· PopSockets products and packaging

· PORTER-CABLE tools

· Propel wrappers

· Schwarzkopf empty aerosol containers, hair care and hair color jars, lids, bottles, closures, tubes, pumps, and caps made from plastics and flexible or rigid aluminum

· Selsun Blue packaging including tubes, dark plastic bottles, tubs, sticks, pumps and caps

· ShiKai empty packaging

· SodaStream sparkling water makers (not the CO2 cylinders or bottles)

· Sportscreme “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as tubes and caps

· Spin Master toys, games, and packaging (except Kinetic Sand)

· STANLEY tools

· DISCONTINUED, do not leave on my porch: Supergoop! packaging

· Swiffer used wet or dry refills (please make sure they are dry before you drop them off at my house)

· Takis Snacks, Rolled Tortilla Chips, STIX™, POP!, Waves, Kettlez, and Crisps flexible plastic bags and canisters

· Unisom “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as blister packs

· VTech electronic learning devices and electronic toys

· Xyzal “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as bottles that are smaller than a credit card so shouldn’t go in curbside recycling, blister packs

· WELEDA personal care packaging

· WoodWick glass containers (candle wax should be removed)

· Yankee Candle glass containers (candle wax should be removed), auto air fresheners and refills, Sidekicks, room spray 1.5 ounces and under, and ScentPlug refills

· Zantac “hard-to-recycle” packaging such as bottles that are smaller than a credit card so shouldn’t go in curbside recycling, blister packs

Other Recycling Resources

· The Reyclopedia and the FAQ at https://recyclesmartma.org/ are great resources for information on curbside recycling. What is accepted does change! For example, milk cartons used to be accepted but no longer are, and pizza cartons are now accepted but didn’t used to be.

· Many “beauty” products can be recycled through Pact (boxes at many retailers) or at Nordstrom stores

· Ink cartridges, many tech products, and some types of writing instruments can be dropped off for recycling through TerraCycle at some Staples stores.

· All brands of pet food and treat bags can be dropped off for recycling through TerraCycle at Pet Supplies Plus stores

· For the month of July, crayons can be dropped off at any Somerville Public Library branch. The Crayon Initiative will recycle them into art supplies for children’s hospitals.

Misc.

· Being registered as a public drop-off spot for the Gerber collection entered us in a raffle for $50 worth of Gerber food – which I won! The items were given to the Somerville Homeless Coalition.