The children at First Steps preschool in Grey Lynn are diverting non-recyclable yoghurt pouches from landfill on behalf of the community as part of a recycling programme operated by Fonterra.
First Steps Grey Lynn is also collecting oral care waste, Nescafé Dolce Gusto coffee capsules and plastic food storage waste to recycle in three other recycling programmes operated by TerraCycle in partnership with Colgate, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Glad.
Once the yoghurt pouches, oral care waste, coffee capsules and plastic food storage waste are collected, First Steps Grey Lynn packs and sends them to TerraCycle, who shreds, cleans and melts them down into raw materials to create garden beds, park benches and playgrounds.
Additionally, for each kilogramme of yoghurt pouch waste sent to TerraCycle, First Steps Grey Lynn earns $1 as a donation, plus $0.02 per unit of oral care waste, per Nescafé Dolce Gusto coffee capsule and per unit of plastic food storage.
Chelsea Compton from First Steps Grey Lynn said that TerraCycle’s free recycling programmes have helped the centre increase the amount of waste it recycles.
“We’re a sustainable centre and want to recycle as much as possible,” Chelsea says. “With TerraCycle we can keep more waste out of landfill and, at the same time, teach the children about sustainability.”
Locals can help First Steps Grey Lynn win the upcycled prizes by dropping all brands of used yoghurt pouches to the preschool for recycling, while those interested in recycling their yoghurt pouches, oral care waste or coffee capsules are encouraged to visit www.terracycle.co.nz