TerraCycle Boxes

The following information details all of the items we accept for recycling or composting through TerraCycle or Compost Nashville. 

Did you know? We accept any item that we sell in store back for recycling or composting. Broken pump top? Old wooden dish brush? Old Stasher bag? Bring back to us at one of our stores or ship back to us at:

1106 Woodland St Suite 2, Nashville TN, 37206 (Please be sure to adhere to the following rules)

**NO BIOHAZARD WASTE PLEASE (No condoms, used tampon applicators, needles, etc). Razor blades and razors acceptable in separated, padded plastic or paper bags, labeled "razors/blades".

Important: We do not accept food packaging waste as our store is not capable of processing large volumes of recycling. However, we highly recommend purchasing your own recycling box from TerraCycle or splitting the cost with family and/or friends. The Plastic Packaging Waste box is ideal for most clean food packaging, plastic bags, wrap, bubble wrap, plastic bubble mailers, etc and can last a long time between a couple of people so long as the packaging is placed flat in the box.

The following lists show what items we accept in each box that we have in-stores. TerraCycle guarantees that all the items they accept which are sent to them are recycled, not sent to a landfill and are not incinerated. You can read more about their recent certification here for flexible packaging and rigid plastics.

Beauty Products and Packaging Waste Box- 

• travel shampoo bottles and caps/pumps
• travel conditioner bottles and caps/pumps
• hair gel tubes and caps/pumps
• spray bottles and triggers 
• hair paste plastic jars and caps
• lip balm tubes
• face soap dispensers and tubes
• lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars
• shaving foam tubes (no cans)
• lip gloss tubes
• mascara tubes
• eye liner pencils and cases
• eye Shadow tubes
• concealer tubes and sticks

DOES NOT ACCEPT aerosol cans, perfume bottles, nail polish bottles, and nail polish remover bottles, electronic items such as blow dryers and straighteners, any bio-medical or bio-hazardous waste or any contents of packaging such as nail-polish, lotion, soap or ointments.

Office Supplies Waste-

• tape dispensers
• desk organizers
• card and document filers
• binders
• calendars
• labels
• staplers
• hole punchers
• dividers
• paper cutters
• correction supplies
• pens/pencils/markers
• fasteners
• paper clips
• staples
• binder clips
• sticker and label sheet backing

DOES NOT ACCEPT e-waste like electronic staplers and label making machines.

Personal Care Accessories Waste-

• inserts
• insoles
• pedicure kits
• oral care waste
• empty anti-fungal containers
• ointment packaging
• brushes
• combs
• picks
• clips
• bobby pins
• hair ties
• scrunchies
• empty shampoo and conditioner bottles
• gel packaging
• non-pressurized hair spray bottles
• wax jars
• pomade tins
• hair dye packaging
• blow-dryer attachments like combs and diffusers

DOES NOT ACCEPT electronic items like blow dryers and straighteners; bio-medical or bio-hazardous waste; or nail polish bottles, or perfume bottles.

Razor and Razor Blade Waste

• All brands of blades and razors (systems and disposable units, and replaceable-blade cartridge units or safety razor blades), rigid plastic packaging, and flexible plastic bag packaging. Razor blades and razors acceptable in separated, padded plastic or paper bags, labeled "razors/blades".

Instrument Strings for Strings for Hope

• All instrument strings. Utilizing secondhand musical strings, Strings for Hope helps to provide second chances for survivors of addiction, domestic violence, and sex trafficking. Through employment in their program, survivors receive supplemental income and learn job skills while in transition. Their jewelry is absolutely beautiful. Visit StringsforHope.com to shop!

Alkaline Batteries from Household Electronics (tape the ends please!) - Though not required for participation, TEC appreciates your donations of $1 or more to support and expand this initiative. Donations can be made in-store or directly to TEC at tectn.org/donate. 

• WHAT WE ACCEPT:
  Any non-rechargeable spent alkaline batteries used in portable electronic devices. 
  Note: please tape the ends of the batteries to prevent current transfer. 
  
  
  WHAT WE CANNOT ACCEPT:
  Rechargeable alkaline batteries,
  Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries,
  Any battery used to power a device not classified as a portable electronic device. For those we don't accept, please drop off at Batteries + Bulbs stores.

NEW! Brita Water Filters

• WHAT WE ACCEPT: Any used Brita Brand water filters 

What makes TerraCycle different? Everything we send to TerraCycle is turned back into usable raw material to be used again on new products. All containers must be free of contents. However, product residue is acceptable.