PLAY FOR TODAY, PLAY FOR TOMORROW: THE SHIFT TOWARD ECO-FRIENDLY TOYS AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION

RECYCLING, TERRACYCLING, CONSUMER CONVENIENCE, AND AWARENESS

One of the biggest problems toymakers face — and that is noticed by parents — is the difficulty in recycling both toys and their packaging waste. The massive popularity of surprise-and-reveal toys certainly lit a fire under parents to call for better waste management, and for MGA Entertainment (MGAE) — makers of L.O.L. Surprise! — the solution was a partnership with a company that already had experience tackling hard-to-process toys: TerraCycle.  

  The vast difference in materials used to create certain toys presents a problem when it comes to sorting and processing. TerraCycle can solve that, processing toys to be recycled into new creations, such as park benches, flower pots, and play spaces. The Hasbro Toy Recycling Program launched last year as a way for families to send well-loved toys and games to TerraCycle for processing.   Following partnerships with Hasbro and MGAE, ZURU inked a deal this spring to make its Bunch O Balloons 100% recyclable thanks to TerraCycle. Now, perhaps the biggest issue is consumer awareness and action, as parents will have to box their waste materials — both packaging and toys — and print shipping labels from the TerraCycle website before dropping their boxes off to be shipped back.