Pet stores recycle 27,000 pounds of plastics in first year with TerraCycle

In the first year of a nationwide sustainability project, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash have helped keep 27,000 pounds of pet product packaging from landfills and incinerators. The franchise brands were the first pet retailers in the U.S. to partner with TerraCycle, a sustainability solutions provider, last year.

"The first year of our partnership with TerraCycle has been an overwhelming success," says Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash. "We are beyond proud of our neighbors nationwide who recycled 13.5 tons of plastic that would have otherwise been thrown out. This is just the beginning of our commitment to sustainability and helping create a cleaner world for our neighbors and pets."

Most pet product packaging is not accepted through standard curbside recycling services, because its complex material composition and lingering food residue make it difficult and unprofitable for local recyclers to process. As the first pet retailers to team up with TerraCycle to offer a free, convenient in-store recycling solution for pet food, treat, and litter packaging, as well as delivery bags, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash are aiming to provide pet owners a resource that will make a positive impact.  

How it works:

• Pet owners can drop off empty flexible plastic pet food, treat, and litter bags from any brand, and for any species of pet, to designated collection bins located in participating stores across the country. Additionally, people can bring in any delivery bags from their Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash online orders.
• All pet product packaging and delivery bags collected in-store are returned to TerraCycle to be shredded, cleaned, and recycled into raw materials used to make new products.
• The in-store recycling program was created to make things easy for pet owners while playing a role in reducing plastic waste.
• People can learn more about which products can be recycled on the Pet Supplies Plus website and Wag N' Wash website.

"This partnership between Pet Supplies Plus, Wag N' Wash, and TerraCycle has already played an important role in keeping pet food packaging out of landfills and incinerators across the United States," said Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. "By voluntarily taking responsibility for all brands of empty pet food packaging, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash are redefining standards for sustainability in the pet industry."