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 14th.
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.