We are always looking for new programmes that help us reduce the environmental footprint in the food services industry – and we’ve found a new one in the UK.
TerraCycle UK is a recently established entity. In September 2009 they launched a program in partnership with coffee giants Kenco and Tassimo – collecting difficult-to-recycle packaging via the brands consumers. Once the waste is returned it is upcycled into products such as coffee coasters, tote bags, and you guessed it… garbage bins.
In 8 months TerraCycle UK has collected over 3.5 million units of pre and post consumer waste packaging and have over 25,000 consumers collecting for them – this is seven times the success rate of the first TerraCycle campaign in the USA - which after four years has close to 10 million people collecting.
The UK company head Chris Baker plans on expanding waste streams and collection locations throughout Europe by end 2010.
Through the upcycling initiative foodservice businesses can easily commit to take action and help reduce UK landfill (which currently stands at 85% of household waste).
