Gerber and TerraCycle Launch Baby Food Recycling Program
Now, that hard-to-recycle baby food packaging from Gerber can be put to good use. Through TerraCycle’s mail-in system, consumers can give new life to baby food packaging.
As of this week, consumers can feel better about where their baby food packaging is going—if they follow through with the new recycling initiative in place. Gerber and international recycling company, TerraCycle, have partnered to recycle Gerber baby food packaging, and the steps are really easy.
Parents can simply sign up on the Gerber Recycling Program at https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/gerber and mail in packaging that is not municipally recyclable using a prepaid shipping label. Once TerraCycle receives the returned packaging, it is cleaned, melted into hard plastic and remolded to make new recycled products.
The program works toward a shared goal between Gerber and TerraCycle to reduce waste and recover hard-to-recycle products. Not only is the program easy and free for the consumer, but for every pound of packaging waste sent to TerraCycle through the Gerber Recycling Program, collectors can earn $1 to donate to a nonprofit, school, or charitable organization of their choice.
“Through this free recycling program, Gerber is offering parents an easy way to divert waste from landfills by providing a responsible way to dispose of certain hard-to-recycle baby food packaging,” said TerraCycle CEO and Founder, Tom Szaky. “By collecting and recycling these items, families can demonstrate their respect for the environment not only through the products that they choose for their children, but also with how they dispose of the packaging.”
According to the press release on the partnership, Gerber and TerraCycle both feel an obligation to help improve the world. The partnership hopes to achieve 100 percent recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025.
“We’re thrilled to partner with TerraCycle as part of our broader sustainable packaging efforts,” said Gerber President and CEO Bill Partyka. “We know every parent’s top priority is to ensure a healthy, happy future for their baby. Our commitment to sustainability is rooted in giving parents a hand in making their baby’s future that much brighter.”
This is not the only way Gerber has worked to improve babies’ lives along with the state of the environment. Gerber has upheld some of the baby food industry’s strongest agricultural standards through its Clean Field Farming™ practices, and it states that it is committed to reducing energy use, water use and carbon emissions in its factories.