One of the founding members of the library, Rebecca Nutter, says the library believes in reducing its environmental impact when it comes to toys, that when toys are broken or unusable, there needs to be a way to recycle instead of tossing them in the garbage. Nutter thinks families will be excited to use the Zero Waste Box because it provides an option for recycling that is not otherwise available in Minneapolis.                                                                                                                                                     

“We know families have toys in their homes that break or a puzzle that is missing a piece,” said Nutter. “Donation centers won’t take these materials and some families don’t have the time to find where these toys can be recycled, so they probably just throw them in the garbage. Now, families can bring these items in to be recycled during one of our toy lending events.  It will be a big hit, we just know it!”

Using TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box is another way for the toy library to educate their customers about consuming products without creating waste. Nutter says that recycling is very important to the library staff. “It’s important for us to share this with our children. We hope that we can be a resource for families on buying eco-friendly toys, recycling toys, and donating toys that still have value.”

About Minneapolis Toy Library

The Minneapolis Toy Library aims at reducing waste, promoting development, and building community.  We offer families paid memberships to have access to our inventory of toys appropriate for children birth to age 5, mplstoylibrary.org.

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. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in our recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com