The recycling bin is now commonplace in most European countries. Householders separate their waste and recyclable materials go into a recycling bin. The bin is collected by the local waste operator and for the consumer, that is where the story ends, they have done their bit for the environment by recycling. Except, in many cases much of what goes into the recycling bin is not recycled because the operator does not have the facility to recycle all the materials collected.
Recycle Those Marigolds
Since the cost of separation and transport to suitable facilities is not cost-effective, much of that un-recycled recyclable material gets burned or exported as co-mingled waste.
If the consumer is truly concerned and wants his, or her waste to be properly recycled, then one option is to sign up to a Terracycle recycling scheme.
Terracycle operates in some 21 countries and consumers can sign up to any number of their schemes to recycle products that often get bypassed by waste management firms.
Some of the schemes are brand specific – such as the cheese packaging scheme, run for Cathedral City, or the soap and cleanser scheme run for Baylis and Harding.
The latest scheme is dedicated to recycling rubber gloves – Marigolds in particular. These household gloves are not usually recycled by local authorities, but, if people are concerned about their waste, they can drop them in at a Terracycle collection point.
The rubber glove recycling programme aims to prevent the yellow cleaning aides ending up in landfill. By recycling them properly, old Marigold gloves can be reintroduced back into the manufacturing supply chain and help make items such as flooring tiles, athletics fields and much more.
As demand for gloves and PPE has soared in the last year, it’s more important than ever that rubber gloves don’t become additional plastic waste.
How to recycle Marigold yellow rubber gloves:
You can recycle your Marigolds one of two ways:
- Find your local Terracycle pubic drop-off point and leave them there. You can find your local drop off point on the Terracycle website
- Sign up to Terracycle and set up your own drop-off spot. You’ll receive a charitable donation for every shipment you send to Terracycle.
Marigolds in any condition can be recycled, except for those that have come into contact with harsh chemicals, or have been used for non-domestic use.
