The Personal Care and Beauty Free Recycling Programme

Click here to learn more about public drop-off locations.

Please note: A minimum distance of 2 miles is required between each drop-off point, unless you are in a heavily populated area. In addition, your public drop-off point must be open for at least 3 hours per week.

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 programmes you would like to participate in.
• Once you’ve been approved for the programmes 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). Please make sure you use a sturdy cardboard box which is no larger than 60x60x50cm in size. The maximum weight per parcel is 20kg, but by using the multi-label shipping option, you can send a shipment (consisting of several parcels) weighing more than 20kg in total. Please note that If you use Multilabels, the maximum weight of the 3 boxes combined can't exceed 30 Kg.
• When boxes are filled, seal them, download and affix the prepaid labels, and drop off the boxes at a UPS drop-off point or arrange a free pick-up for your parcel via UPS by booking online or calling 03457 877 877. 
• Continue to join programmes 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.

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. 

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 programmes your drop-off point will participate in. Collectors can drop off only the waste accepted in those TerraCycle programmes.

Yes, The Personal Care and Beauty Free Recycling Programme allows public drop-off locations to receive a branded collection box. Please note this box is only to collect waste into. We will ask you to use another cardboard box for sending your waste to us and to reuse the branded box for collecting new waste.

To receive a collection box for your location, please complete the Collection Box Request Form. The box will be dispatched within 10 working days providing your application is successful.