TRENTON, NJ, April 27, 2015 – TerraCycle has announced the return of its Recycled Playground Challenge - an initiative in partnership with Colgate-Palmolive (“Colgate”), the global oral care leader, and ShopRite, which has more than 250 stores in the Northeast - to help encourage oral hygiene and sustainability among school children and consumers.
Beginning now through June 13, schools in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Maryland have a chance to win a new playground made completely of recycled material.
To be eligible, the schools must participate in the Oral Care Brigade™, a free recycling program run by Colgate and TerraCycle. Schools will earn one ‘Playground Credit’ for each shipment of empty toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, and floss containers sent to TerraCycle. Schools can earn additional Playground Credits by voting online at www.terracycle.com/colgateshopriteplayground. Last year’s winner was BelovED Community Charter School in Jersey City, New Jersey with a total of 178,303 Playground Credits earned.
“Colgate is committed to contributing to our communities and respecting the environment,” said Justin Skala, President, North America and Global Sustainability, Colgate-Palmolive. “Programs like the Colgate® Oral Care Brigade™ and Recycled Playground Challenge offer us an innovative way to reinforce these commitments and for consumers to positively impact the environment by repurposing their Colgate® oral care products.”
This year’s school with the most Playground Credits will be announced as the winner by July 15 and the grand prize playground will be installed during the 2015/2016 back-to-school season. The first and second runner-up schools, as well as six honorable mention participants, will be awarded various upcycled prizes and ShopRite® gift cards.
In addition to donating gift cards for the runner-up schools, ShopRite is also encouraging community participation in the contest with displays throughout its stores.
“Partnering with Colgate and TerraCycle in this contest is a great way to engage ShopRite customers in our commitment to caring for the community," said Christine Magyarits, ShopRite Community Relations Manager. "Not only did last year's contest help us to encourage the community to recycle and preserve the environment, but it also brought so many smiles to children's faces. We are excited to be bringing the Challenge back to our communities this year and look forward to meeting this year's winner."
“The benefits of this program are two-fold,” said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. “Colgate and ShopRite made an important commitment to sustainability by partnering with TerraCycle, and for the second year in a row, they chose to take it a step further with a donation that will create a lasting impact for a deserving community.”
For instructions on how to participate in the Recycled Playground Challenge, please visit www.terracycle.com/colgateshopriteplayground or your local ShopRite retailer.
To learn more about the Colgate® Oral Care Brigade™ program and to sign up, please visit www.terracycle.com/colgate.
About Colgate-Palmolive Company
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate-Palmolive's global business, visit the Company's website at www.colgatepalmolive.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures®, Colgate's global oral health education program, please visit www.colgatebsbf.com.
About ShopRite
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 250 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than six million customers each week. A long-time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite has donated $37 million to 1,700 worthy charities and food banks since the program began in 1999. As a title sponsor of the LPGA’s ShopRite Classic, ShopRite has raised more than $27 million for local organizations, hospitals and community groups. Progressive Grocer named ShopRite its 2011 Retailer of the Year and Supermarket News awarded ShopRite its 2011 Retail Excellence Award. For more information, please visit www.ShopRite.com.
About TerraCycle
Founded in 2001, TerraCycle, Inc., is the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of hard-to-recycle post-consumer waste, ranging from used chip bags to coffee capsules to cigarette butts. The waste is collected through free, national, brand-funded platforms called "Brigades," as well as various consumer and government-funded models. The collected waste is reused, upcycled or recycled into a variety of affordable, sustainable consumer products and industrial applications. Each year, across 21 countries, TerraCycle collects and repurposes billions of pieces of waste, donating millions of dollars to schools and charities in the process. TerraCycle is the subject of a new half-hour comedy, ‘Human Resources,’ on Pivot TV. Season two airs August 2015. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in our recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.
