Episode 36: The Future of Recycling with TerraCycle

Do you know what actually goes in your blue bin? How much of what we send to the recycling center can actually be recycled? And what can we do with all our hard-to-recycle materials? The traditional recycling industry has declined in recent years despite the growing awareness of its importance. Not to mention it's a key player in combatting climate change. And while there are many at play that have led to the state of the industry, looking at the evolution from here-on-out will lead us to some exciting. Some of those solutions are spearheaded by TerraCycle, a social enterprise set on eliminating even the idea of waste! To really understand their work within the industry, we sat down with Shaye DiPasquale, publicist for TerraCycle. Join us as we discuss current projects to help reuse and recycle all materials, the different ways consumers, brands, and retailers can get in on the action and what the future of the recycling industry will look like.

HOSTED BY

Clara Mouawad

Clara is the Content Specialist at BCC Research, where she spends her time writing blogs and white papers, designing graphics and thinking up ways BCC can take over the world...like with a podcast.

A world traveler (less so during COVID19, of course), marketing whiz and always thirsty for knowledge, Clara finds innovators in a variety of fields and asks the question that our listeners want to know: How will this industry, technology or company shape how we live and work in the future?

Episode Timeline

  • [00:29]Introducing the world of recycling and TerraCycle
  • [01:35]Shaye's story and what brought her to TerraCycle
  • [03:06]The mission of TerraCycle
  • [06:16]The issues of the current recycling landscape
  • [09:55]How much plastic and glass actually gets recycled?
  • [12:36]The services offered by TerraCycle
  • [17:21]On collaborating with brands and companies
  • [21:49]What a circular system is and how TerraCycle is working towards that
  • [27:46]What people tend to be surprised about when it comes to recycling
  • [33:53]The recycling industry in 10-15 years