Subaru of America, Inc. announced a new recycling initiative to recycle personal protective equipment (PPE) waste in response to the increase in waste due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new initiative is an expansion of the automaker’s existing recycling collection partnership with TerraCycle®, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams. The new collection efforts divert improperly discarded PPE from landfills and incinerators. Subaru will employ TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes™ to collect disposable masks and gloves across more than 20 offices nationwide, including ports, regional training centers and the automaker’s headquarters in Camden, New Jersey.
“At Subaru, our commitment to maintaining a safe work environment is as strong as our dedication to protecting and preserving our environment by keeping it clean,” said Alan Bethke, senior vice president, marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. “This expansion of our work with TerraCycle allows us to responsibly wear PPE while furthering the Subaru Love Promise commitment to reduce landfill trash and engage in smart environmental practices, simply because it is the right thing to do.”
Zero Waste Boxes provide a convenient recycling solution for all types of single-use PPE, which are not recyclable through conventional recycling facilities. By placing Zero Waste Boxes in offices around the country, Subaru employees can responsibly dispose of their protective gear instead of tossing items on the ground.
To properly collect and recycle PPE waste, each participating Subaru corporate location will utilize the following Zero Waste Boxes:
•Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box – to recycle vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
•Disposable Masks Zero Waste Box – to recycle surgical and industrial face masks.
When full, the boxes will be returned to TerraCycle for processing and the collected waste will be cleaned, melted and remolded to make new products. Disposable masks are typically made from #5 polypropylene plastic and can be turned into a variety of items ranging from reusable shipping pallets to plastic lumber applications. Rubberized disposable gloves can be used by rubber manufacturers in low-grade applications for products such as matting.
Through the Subaru Loves the Earth recycling program, created in partnership with TerraCycle, participating Subaru retailers nationwide use Zero Waste Boxes to encourage customers, employees and community partners to recycle waste streams that are commonly thought of as hard-to-recycle, including snack wrappers/bags, disposable cups, lids, plastic straws, as well as coffee and creamer capsules. In addition, Subaru encourages customers to further their personal commitments to sustainability by individually collecting these waste streams and bringing them to a local participating Subaru retailer.
To learn more about Subaru Loves the Earth and the environmental work Subaru does, visit subaru.com/earth and follow #SubaruLovesTheEarth.
Published in the October 2020 Edition