January 26, 2010
Sharpie, Paper Mate, EXPO Partner with TerraCycle to Repurpose Used Writing Instruments
Sharpie, Paper Mate and EXPO have formed a partnership with TerraCycle to repurpose used pens, markers and other writing instruments. Touted as the world’s first program to collect and reuse writing instruments, the partnership will also help raise funds for schools, charities and non-profits nationwide, as well as reduce waste headed for landfills.
The partners will set-up collection centers called “Writing Instrument Brigades” at participating locations primarily at large corporations and schools. For every writing instrument collected, two cents will be paid to a school, community group, charity or non-profit organization of the participant’s choice.
Each Brigade prints a pre-paid shipping label from TerraCycle’s Website to ship the collected writing instruments to TerraCycle for “upcycling,” where they will be dissembled and/or reprocessed to make new products.
TerraCycle is also working with other consumer goods manufacturers including 3M, Mars and OfficeMax, to collect and recycle their products.
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Reader Comments
Why not just sell refillables and promote refills? Kind of greenwash to sell single-use products then add eco-impact to mail and reprocess.
Chris Dine | January 26th, 2010
This partnership is great, as most people have plenty of gently used pens and markers lying around. The ease of donating combined with great charitable incentives should persuade many to recycle these writing instruments. With any luck, it will also help consumers be more conscious of how even the little things they do, such as buying single-use pens, affect the environment.
The Refinishing Touch | January 28th, 2010