Herbal Essences launches national recycling program through TerraCycle

Herbal Essences hair care users nationwide can mail empty bottles to Trenton-based recycler TerraCycle for free through a new program.

By signing up online for Herbal Essences Recycling Program, participants receive a prepaid shipping label to send empty containers to Trenton to be melted into hard plastic to remold into new products.

Empty shampoo and conditioner bottles and caps, hair treatment and color packets, flexible plastic tubes and closures, and non-aerosol air mist bottles and pumps are all eligible for recycling.

“Through the free recycling program, Herbal Essences is offering consumers a powerful, sustainable option to divert waste from landfills,” said TerraCycle Chief Executive Officer and Founder Tom Szaky in a statement. “By collecting and recycling difficult-to-recycle items, consumers are given the opportunity to think twice about what is recyclable and what truly is garbage.”

As an added bonus, for every pound of Herbal Essences’ packaging waste sent to TerraCycle, collectors can earn $1 to donate to a nonprofit, school or charity of their choice.

Earlier this year, TerraCycle and Herbal Essences teamed up to drive awareness of ocean plastic by making recyclable shampoo and conditioner bottles made of 25 percent beach plastic for the brand’s bio: review collection.