Tom’s of Maine To Recycle Broken Toys

Every parent knows the frustration of a broken toy – if a car loses a wheel or a board game loses a piece, more often than not that toy ends up in the trash (and it is most likely a covert operation when the kids are asleep or at school). With the toy industry now generating more than $26 billion in U.S. sales each year,the amount of broken toys is a challenge families will continue to face. To address the issue, Tom's of Maine is partnering with the recycling experts at TerraCycle to offer the #LessWasteChallenge toy recycling program. Families can visit www.tomsofmaine.com/lesswaste to download a free shipping label that they can use to mail in broken toys for recycling and do their part to reduce the amount of toys that end up in landfills each year.
 
“Knowing what to do with broken toys is a challenge because as parents we don't want to be wasteful and throw them away. We want to show our kids there are better solutions,” said Susan Dewhirst, goodness programs manager at Tom's of Maine. “The act of recycling a toy together can be a way for parents to start a conversation with their kids about what we can all do to take care of the planet for generations.”
 
Families can send in their broken toys directly to TerraCycle by following four simple steps:
•  Visit www.tomsofmaine.com/lesswaste
•  Enter contact information to receive a free UPS shipping label via email that can be printed at home
•  Fill an old box with up to ten pounds of broken toys
•  Attach the free shipping label to the box and drop it off at UPS
 
“Toys are a waste stream people don't think about that often, but the amount of broken toys sent to landfills is significant and there hasn't been a way to dispose of them,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “Parents can now feel good knowing that broken toys can be 100% recycled or reused, which helps planet Earth.”  

Beyond toys, another way families can help the earth is the #LessWasteChallenge pledge, which asks families to reduce their household waste by one pound per week. To date, consumers have pledged to keep more than 200,000 pounds out of landfills since 2016. In addition to taking the pledge and downloading their free shipping label, visitors will also be able to find fun DIY projects that get the entire family involved in reducing waste.
 
Tom's of Maine is taking its own #LessWasteChallenge by having a goal of zero waste to landfills by 2020 at its manufacturing facility in Maine. The company has also partnered with TerraCycle to create the Natural Care Recycling Program, which now has 8,590 participating locations. The program collects personal care packaging from any brand, helping to keep 700,000 pieces of packaging out of landfills since the program began in 2012.