For a number of years, Weavers Way has participated in TerraCycle, the company founded by Tom Szaky when he was a student at Princeton in 2001. TerraCycle, with the mission of “Eliminating the Idea of Waste®,” has grown into a global leader in collecting and repurposing hard-to-recycle waste, operating in over 20 countries, engaging over 60 million people, and recycling billions of pieces of trash through various innovative platforms. 

Though Weavers Way has success with the program, we recognize that many Co-op members may not know about it or are unclear which products can be placed in the bins. 

So here’s my interview with Leni Dow, a longtime member of the Co-op who is also secretary of the Weavers Way Environmental Committee. Our goal is to demystify TerraCycle and educate Co-op members so more of us will participate. 

As part of this effort, in the next several months the Co-op will start placing a TerraCycle shelf label beneath all products that we can accept. So look out for the green infinity symbol!

Alisa: Leni, thank you so much for everything you do with the TerraCycle program. Could you explain what TerraCycle “platforms” Weavers Way participates in?

Leni: Weavers Way currently participates in seven main platforms and we are also on a waitlist for another. We only participate in subsidized programs. These programs are supported by the corporations that produce these difficult-to-recycle materials. 

We earn points for the items we send to TerraCycle and the points earn money for us. The subsidies pay the shipping costs.

We are currently collecting in Mt. Airy in the Community Room at 555 Carpenter Lane and in Chestnut Hill, where there is a box at the front of the store and another Next Door. Please ask an employee to direct you. We are also looking to expand this collection in Ambler and are finalizing those details. 

Alisa: What has been the outcome of our current program with TerraCycle?

Leni: Weavers Way actually generates income from these collections. The money previously went to Food Moxie, but is now being directed to the Weavers Way Environment Committee’s community grants program. So collecting these materials helps the community and also keeps materials out of the landfill. 

Each box has a weight limit that must be reached for us to ship, and we get points for every box we ship to TerraCycle. We currently have 15,921 points, worth about $159.

Alisa: Do you need help with the program? 

Leni: I would first like to thank all the members who diligently save their items for the TerraCycle collection. We will be looking for cooperators who can help sort and box materials about twice a month for their work hours. Look for an announcement in the eNews when we get these slots posted on the Online Work Calendar.