It’s frustrating isn’t it?  How many beauty product containers aren’t accepted by residential recycling programs? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, one third of landfill waste is packaging waste.  With all of the bottles, tubes and jars jammed in bathroom cabinets across the country, it’s easy to assume that much of this packaging waste comes from beauty products.  To reduce the amount of beauty packaging waste heading to landfills and increase awareness about healthier, more sustainable beauty, we’ve joined TerraCycle’s Personal Care and Beauty Brigade^®, an innovative recycling program for all kinds of hair care, skin care and cosmetics packaging.

By joining TerraCycle’s Personal Care and Beauty Brigade,  we’re empowering you to reduce the environmental impact of your beauty routine.  All typically non-recyclable beauty product packaging can be sent to TerraCycle, free of charge, to be made into new products.  For every unit of waste collected from Goodebox members, two cents will be contributed to the EWG’s Cosmetics Database, a powerful tool for consumers to gauge the health & safety of their beauty & personal care products and our charity of choice. to support with this program.

Not only does our Beauty Packaging Recycling program divert those compacts, tubes and bottles from landfills, it supports valuable non-profit, health & environmental research and education and rewards you for doing good!

Here’s how it works:

1.  Save your cosmetics & beauty packaging that’s typically not accepted by your home recycling program, including the sample containers you receive in your Goodebox.

2.  When you’ve got enough to fill a Goodebox (or larger package – ideally 50 pieces), fill out this Shipping Label Request Form and we’ll email  you a shipping label to print out and use to ship your recyclables.  Shipping labels are for UPS, so the package will need to be dropped off at a UPS outlet near you.  Find one here.

3. TerraCycle will process your shipment, advising us on how many units were accepted.  Each unit (.05 lbs) earns you 2 points.

4.  We will keep track of your points.  You can request an account balance anytime here.

5.  For every 2 points you earn, 2¢ will be donated via TerraCycle to our  designated non-profit, the EWG’s Cosmetics Database, which helps keep us all  informed about the ingredients in our beauty products.

6.  For every 40 points you accrue (About 20 items / 1 lb of recycled packaging), you earn a BONUS sample in your next Goodebox!

That’s it!  Go forth and do goode.

Waste Accepted:

lipstick cases, mascara tubes, eye shadow cases, shampoo bottles, conditioner bottles, bronzer cases, foundation packaging, body wash containers, soap tubes, soap dispensers, lotion dispensers, shaving foam tubes (no cans), powder cases, lotion bottles, chap stick tubes, lotion tubes, face soap dispensers, face soap tubes, face lotion bottles, face lotion jars, eyeliner cases, eyeliner pencils, eyeshadow tubes, concealer tubes, concealer sticks, lip liner pencils, hand lotion tubes, hair gel tubes, hair paste jars.

Not accepted.

hair spray bottles/cans,

Please read complete program rules  here.