TerraCycle Program

Even if you refuse, reduce, and reuse as much as you can, chances are you still have waste to recycle. And there are so many things we can't recycle through Shawnee County Solid Waste or other recycling options in the community. 

We're working with TerraCycle and other programs to collect a wide variety of hard-to-recycle items and turn them into things like insulation, plastic park benches, and floor tiles. Get a glimpse into the TerraCycle process with this video.

TerraCycle accepts some items for free, but most items have to go in a "zero-waste box" that costs anywhere from about $230 to $380. Our initial round of boxes were funded with a grant from the Greater Topeka Partnership, but to purchase replacements, we charge a fee of $0.05 a cubic inch for items that go in the "paid" boxes. When you drop off your items or order recycling pickup, pack all of the paid items tighly in a box, and measure it to get the volume in cubic inches (length x width x height). Multiply that by $0.05 to get the cost of recycling the items in that box.

Full Circle Recycling Accepted Materials

  Keep in mind that items must fit inside a 15" x 15"' x 37" box

And keep in mind that reducing and reusing are almost always better options than recycling!