Brittney LaGesse, the owner of Refill Revolution, has sought to offer customers an alternative to tossing hard-to-recycle items, such as toothbrushes and makeup containers, by participating in Zero Waste Box program. The boxes are created by New Jersey-based TerraCycle, a waste management company that breaks down the refuse materials to be used to create new products.

TerraCycle offers recycling boxes across a variety of categories, such as plastic grocery bags; fabrics and clothing; coffee capsules; books and magazines or an all-in-one box. LaGesse has offered four Zero Waste Boxes in her store since 2017. Due to the response, LaGesse said she recently added two more, bringing the total to six. “(I added them) just because I have seen the interest and demand as the time has gone on,” LaGesse said. “I just added the razor and blade box. Some customers were asking where they could properly dispose of them.”

Once returned to TerraCycle, the refuse is sorted and upcycled to create things like park benches, bike racks, shipping pallets and recycling bins, according to  Alex Payne, a publicist for TerraCycle. The recycling company created the Zero Waste Box program in an effort to provide solutions for waste that cannot be recycled through national recycling programs or standard municipal recycling, according to a news release.

LaGesse and several local businesses have sponsored the boxes. Each box comes with a prepaid shipping label. LaGesse encouraged people to visit her store at 3350 Arapahoe Ave., to drop off various hard-to-recycle items. Some examples of things that can be dropped off include deodorant tubes, sunscreen bottles, toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes, pet toys, collars and leashes, bottle caps and lids. Additionally, Refill Revolution is taking part in TerraCycle’s Late July Snacks Recycling Program. People can drop off their empty Late July-brand packaging, which encases a variety of snack products, like chips and crackers.

Participating in the Zero Waste Program is just one way LaGesse seeks to offer people environmentally-friendly solutions to everyday products. Refill Revolution specializes in selling household, bath and bulk products in reusable or refillable containers. With the Zero Waste Boxes in her store, LaGesse said she believes it can help to indicate to shoppers that a small step to help their planet can go a long way.

To read the full story, visit https://www.dailycamera.com/2019/07/11/boulders-refill-revolution-utilizes-zero-waste-program-to-upcycle-refuse/.

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