That’s a Wrap!

July 07, 2025| Community, Environment

By: Andrew Dollberg

We have put a wrap on our candy wrapper recycling program, which we launched last year to raise awareness about sustainability during Halloween, when candy consumption is at its highest. Thanks to its success, we extended the program through Easter, another season when candy is widely enjoyed. Across both collection periods, we gathered a total of 2,410 wrappers!

This program was made possible through TerraCycle, a specialty recycling company. Using a specially purchased recycling box, once full, we shipped the entire box of gathered candy and snack wrappers back to TerraCycle. There, they will be shredded, sorted by material type, and processed into pellets, flakes, or powder, which is then sold to manufacturers and turned into useful products like storage containers, flooring, playground equipment, and athletic fields.

TerraCycle offers a wide range of recycling programs for hard-to-recycle items, including disposable gloves, cigarette waste, drink pouches, disposable masks, and single-use coffee pods. While some programs require the purchase of a collection box, many free programs can be found on their website, too!

Our goal with this project was to highlight uncommon, overlooked ways we can all contribute to sustainability, with a focus on reducing waste in our watershed and surrounding environment. We’re grateful to everyone who contributed to this effort, especially Heather Varner and the students at Jefferson Township High School’s Academy for Environmental Science, who led a school-wide collection, and the volunteers who carefully sorted and counted each wrapper to ensure only acceptable materials were included. Your dedication made this initiative a success! 

Inspired to start your own collection? Visit TerraCycle's website to explore the many recycling programs you can start in your community!