Please note:
This recycling program is only open to participants over the age of 19. Please make sure you or your participants are 19 years of age or older before signing up for the UNSMOKE Cigarette Waste Recycling Program.
UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program
Recycle cigarette waste
Rolling paper
Outer plastic and inner foil packaging
Loose tobacco pouches
Cigarette filters
Extinguished cigarettes
How it works
Simply request to join this program, and once you are confirmed, your location will show up on the drop-off map. Set up boxes that community members can fill with their trash to be recycled, and send full boxes to TerraCycle at no cost to you.
Important note: In order to recycle this waste stream properly, make sure the cigarettes are fully extinguished. Please do not dump your cigarette waste directly into the box you plan to ship them in. Additionally, do not use paper bags to collect your waste. Instead, collect cigarette waste using sturdy plastic containers or bags.
You can order exclusive receptacles designed specifically for recycling cigarette waste in your community or at your business location. Receptacles are perfect for standardizing cigarette recycling in small or large-scale outdoor environments. These metal receptacles can be equipped with steel bolt bands for flexible placement at your location. Click here for more information.
Collect with Your Community
Once your location is approved as a drop-off point, community members will be able to find it on the map and drop-off their trash to be recycled.
Print Free Shipping Labels
When a box is full, sign in to your TerraCycle account to download and print a prepaid shipping label.
Ship
Follow the special shipping instructions in the important note above. Then seal your box, affix the prepaid shipping label, and send it to us to be recycled.
Get Started
Starting and managing a TerraCycle public drop-off point is easy and free! See answers to frequently-asked questions here. Can’t find the answer to your question on this page? Learn more about becoming a drop-off point.
It’s quite simple to set up and manage a drop-off point, and you can recruit a group of friends to help!
Set Up:
- Choose a location and receive permission if needed.
- Update a new or existing TerraCycle account profile with details about your drop-off location.
- Request to join the programs you would like to participate in.
- Once you’ve been approved for the programs you requested, set up your drop-off location.
Manage:
- Oversee the location (check it is being used properly, that waste is being shipped when collection boxes are filled).
- When boxes are filled, seal them, download and affix the prepaid labels, and drop off the boxes at a UPS location.
- Continue to join programs of your choosing.
Promote: Spread awareness about your location (as you see fit) to encourage participation.
Allocate: As you accumulate TerraCycle recycling rewards, choose which charities will receive donations from your points.
It is important to pick an appropriate container to store your collected waste. To avoid odors, it would be best to collect your waste in an airtight container or by using an odor resistant/scented bag. Additionally, using odor absorbing substances such as baking soda or charcoal briquettes can help reduce odor if you put them in your waste container. When discarding your cigarettes, make sure you remove as much of the residual tobacco as possible, as the tobacco is the main source of odor. Lastly, make sure your waste is as dry as possible because moisture increases odor.
There are no direct costs to you for running a public drop-off point. Many collectors spend nothing other than their time. You may choose to purchase specific boxes or bins for your drop-off location, but you can also just use extra boxes you have at home.
You can order exclusive receptacles designed specifically for recycling cigarette waste in your community or at your business location. Receptacles are perfect for standardizing cigarette recycling in small- or large-scale outdoor environments. These metal receptacles can be equipped with steel bolt bands for flexible placement at your location. Click here for more information.
Public spaces that have good traffic flow and are easily accessible are excellent drop-off points. Stores, community centers, places of worship, and libraries are great options.
You choose which TerraCycle free recycling programs your drop-off point will participate in. Collectors can drop off only the waste accepted in those TerraCycle programs.
To collect and ship for the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program from home, simply empty the contents of your ash tray into a re-sealable plastic bag, disposable plastic container, plastic shopping bag, or garbage bag. Please make sure that the cigarettes are fully extinguished. Do not dump your cigarette waste directly into the shipping box and do not use paper bags or envelopes to collect your waste. Ship your collections to TerraCycle by downloading a free shipping label from your TerraCycle account. Ship the box to TerraCycle by affixing the free shipping label and dropping it off at a UPS location.
To collect and ship for the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program at your office or business establishment, empty the contents of your ash receptacle into a sturdy trash bag or thick garbage liner. Please make sure that the cigarettes are fully extinguished. Do not dump your cigarette waste directly into the shipping box and do not use paper bags to collect your waste. Ship your collections to TerraCycle by downloading a free shipping label from your TerraCycle account. Ship the box to TerraCycle by affixing the free shipping label and dropping it off at a UPS location.
You can order exclusive receptacles designed specifically for recycling cigarette waste in your community or at your business location. Receptacles are perfect for standardizing cigarette recycling in small- or large-scale outdoor environments. These metal receptacles can be equipped with steel bolt bands for flexible placement at your location. Click here for more information.
Earn Recycling Rewards
Earn TerraCycle points by recycling with us! You can redeem your points in the form of a donation to a school or charity of your choice. Thanks to the recycling efforts of our collectors, we've raised over $45 million dollars globally for schools and charities through our recycling programs.
Click here to learn more about our Recycling Rewards Program.
1. Recycle
Request for your drop-off point to join the UNSMOKE Free Recycling Program. Once approved, begin collecting recycling with your community.
2. Earn Rewards
Send in the recycling you’ve collected at your drop-off point. As the drop-off administrator, you’ll earn all of the points for your shipments! Shipments earn 100 points per pound. To earn points, the minimum weight of your shipment must be 3 pounds.
3. Redeem Rewards
TerraCycle points can be redeemed for a donation of $0.01 per point. You’ll get to choose which charities or schools to support with the points you earn from your drop-off.
How it works
We’ve made getting started with the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program easy! Simply download a free shipping label to ship your cigarette waste to TerraCycle, and we’ll recycle it.
Important note: In order to recycle this waste stream properly, make sure the cigarettes are fully extinguished. Please do not dump your cigarette waste directly into the box you plan to ship them in. Additionally, do not use paper bags to collect your waste. Instead, collect cigarette waste using sturdy plastic containers or bags.
You can order exclusive receptacles designed specifically for recycling cigarette waste in your community or at your business location. Receptacles are perfect for standardizing cigarette recycling in small or large-scale outdoor environments. These metal receptacles can be equipped with steel bolt bands for flexible placement at your location. Click here for more information.
Collect
Create a TerraCycle account and join this program. Then reuse any box you have to start collecting your cigarette waste.
Print Free Label
When your box is full, sign-in to your TerraCycle account to download and print a prepaid shipping label.
Ship
Follow the special shipping instructions in the important note above. Then seal your box, affix the prepaid shipping label, and send it to us to be recycled.
Get Started
Participating in this program is easy and FREE! See answers to frequently-asked questions here.
All parts of extinguished cigarettes, cigarette filters, partial cigarettes, cigar stubs, outer plastic packaging, inner foil packaging, rolling paper, and ash.
Please note: We do not accept the paperboard packaging of a cigarette box. Instead, you may recycle this through your municipal recycling program.
No, the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program accepts cigarette waste from all brands.
It is important to pick an appropriate container to store your collected waste. To avoid odors, it would be best to collect your waste in an airtight container or by using an odor resistant/scented bag. Additionally, using odor absorbing substances such as baking soda or charcoal briquettes can help reduce odor if you put them in your waste container. When discarding your cigarettes, make sure you remove as much of the residual tobacco as possible, as the tobacco is the main source of odor. Lastly, make sure your waste is as dry as possible because moisture increases odor.
UNSMOKE has sponsored this national recycling program, so there is no direct cost to you.
We encourage you to ship when your box is full of cigarette waste to minimize the transportation carbon footprint for this program. UPS will not accept dripping packages, so please make sure your items are dry.
To collect and ship for the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program from home, simply empty the contents of your ash tray into a re-sealable plastic bag, disposable plastic container, plastic shopping bag, or garbage bag. Please make sure that the cigarettes are fully extinguished. Do not dump your cigarette waste directly into the shipping box and do not use paper bags or envelopes to collect your waste. Ship your collections to TerraCycle by downloading a free shipping label from your TerraCycle account. Ship the box to TerraCycle by affixing the free shipping label and dropping it off at a UPS location.
To collect and ship for the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program at your office or business establishment, empty the contents of your ash receptacle into a sturdy trash bag or thick garbage liner. Please make sure that the cigarettes are fully extinguished. Do not dump your cigarette waste directly into the shipping box and do not use paper bags to collect your waste. Ship your collections to TerraCycle by downloading a free shipping label from your TerraCycle account. Ship the box to TerraCycle by affixing the free shipping label and dropping it off at a UPS location.
You can order exclusive receptacles designed specifically for recycling cigarette waste in your community or at your business location. Receptacles are perfect for standardizing cigarette recycling in small- or large-scale outdoor environments. These metal receptacles can be equipped with steel bolt bands for flexible placement at your location. Click here for more information.
No, you do not need to clean the packaging before dropping it off, but please remove as much of the remaining product as possible before shipping. Public drop-off locations will not accept dripping items, so make sure your items are dry.
Earn Recycling Rewards
Earn TerraCycle points by recycling with us! You can redeem your points in the form of a donation to a school or charity of your choice. Thanks to the recycling efforts of our collectors, we've raised over $45 million dollars globally for schools and charities through our recycling programs. Click here to learn more about our Recycling Rewards Program.
1. Recycle
Sign up for the UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program and begin recycling.
2. Earn Rewards
Send in your recycling to earn reward points. Shipments earn 100 points per pound. To earn reward points, your shipment must weigh at least 3 pounds.
3. Redeem Rewards
TerraCycle points can be redeemed for a donation of $0.01 per point to the charitable organization or school of your choice.
Discover Our Recycling Process
Once collected, the cigarette waste is cleaned and separated by material type. The materials are recycled into raw formats that manufacturers use to make new products. The ash and tobacco are separated out and composted in a specialized process. Click here to take a virtual tour of our processing facilities.