Gerber and TerraCycle are calling on parents and community members to help keep otherwise unrecyclable baby food packaging out of landfills while earning cash donations for nonprofits and local schools in the process. Gerber, the early childhood nutrition leader, in partnership with international recycling leader TerraCycle, invite local businesses, community centers and schools to become a public drop-off location for the Gerber Free Recycling Program.
“In a world where the average American throws away approximately 185 pounds of plastic each year, programs like the Gerber Free Recycling Program are important to divert waste from landfills,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “The program provides businesses and organizations with the unique opportunity to become sustainable community hubs while giving local parents the tools to provide their little ones with trusted nutrition — all without the guilt that comes from landfilling.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were produced in 2018. Of this, only roughly 13.6 percent was successfully recycled. Gerber first partnered with TerraCycle in 2019 to create the ongoing Gerber Free Recycling Program that invited consumers to mail-in their Gerber baby food packaging with a prepaid shipping label in an effort to offset these numbers. Consumers can still mail-in their Gerber packaging for recycling but now they can visit an established public drop-off point in their neighborhood or take their collections a step further by becoming a drop-off point themselves.
TerraCycle encourages businesses, community centers and schools to become collection points and sustainability leaders in their neighborhoods. By doing this, organizations can provide residents with the ability to divert baby food packaging waste, much of which is not recyclable in most U.S. towns, from already crowded landfills. Once collected, the material will be recycled into new products like shipping pallets, composite decking, and outdoor furniture. Packaging sent to TerraCycle also earns the collector TerraCycle points that can be used for charitable gifts or converted to cash and donated to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice.
To become a public drop-off point or to learn more about the Gerber Free Recycling Program visit www.terracycle.com/en-US/
About Gerber
Gerber Products Company was founded in 1928 in Fremont, Mich. Gerber joined the Nestlé family on September 1, 2007. Gerber is a leader in early childhood nutrition. At Gerber, research informs everything we do – from the products we make, the nutrition education we deliver and the services we offer. Gerber provides resources from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) for health care professionals at Medical.Gerber.com/FITS and for parents at Gerber.com.
About TerraCycle
TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to rethink waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community across a wide range of accessible programs, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and individuals. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit www.terracycle.com.
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