If it feels like everywhere you go you’re accompanied by a chorus of coughing, sneezing and people blowing their noses, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not only is the spring season approaching, but the 2023-24 respiratory virus season isn’t over yet, with over half of the country reporting increased levels of flu activity.* Illness is so widespread, that many have resorted to wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) masks again and mask mandates have returned to some US hospitals.
“As the need for masks and other PPE increases, so does the need for proper waste management solutions,” said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “An unfortunate consequence of using more PPE is that we’re finding it littered or thrown away. This is why TerraCycle offers a series of PPE Zero Waste Boxes to provide a recycling solution to every kind of personal protective equipment.”
To address the unintended waste crisis caused by the littering of used single-use PPE, international recycling leader TerraCycle offers several Zero Waste Boxes that are designed to collect and recycle PPE in many of its forms.
- Safety Equipment and Protective Gear – Zero Waste Box – to recycle disposable safety gear including garments, gloves, masks and safety glasses.
- Disposable Garments – Zero Waste Box – to recycle disposable non-woven chemical protection suits, flame-resistant suits, and smocks.
- Disposable Gloves – Zero Waste Box – to recycle disposable vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
- Disposable Masks – Zero Waste Box – to recycle disposable non-woven plastic-based surgical and industrial face masks.
For large-scale recycling solutions, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Pallets:
- Safety Equipment and Protective Gear – Zero Waste Pallet
- Disposable Garments – Zero Waste Pallet
- Disposable Gloves – Zero Waste Pallet
When customers return a PPE Zero Waste Box for recycling, it is received at a regional TerraCycle Material Recovery Facility where it is quarantined on arrival for a minimum of 72 hours to protect our team members handling the waste. It is then manually sorted by material type, consolidated into a bulk format, and transported for mechanical processing at our third-party facilities that specialize in the identified waste stream. The recycled materials are then sold to manufacturers who use it to create such products as composite lumber, floor tiles, playground surface cover and athletic fields. For more information on our recycling process, a detailed description can be found on our website
TerraCycle works with major manufacturers and retailers to recycle products and packaging that would normally be thrown away. To learn more about TerraCycle and its innovative recycling solutions, visit www.terracycle.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
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
