Lifestyle | Snack Bag Recycling

Shout out to all our friends who dropped off snack wrappers throughout the year at our in-store collection bins! In 2018 we collected 12 lbs 4 oz which doesn’t sound like much… but that’s actually about 1450 individual wrappers! That’s pretty awesome!


Our collection bin was overflowing so it was time to ship them off to Terracycle. I went online and then, full stop. $236 to recycle snack bags. Uhhhh no. Truth be told, cinder + salt is a very small company and as much as I love recycling, I can think of 1000 better things to do with $236.

When I first heard of Terracycle about a decade ago you could mail in your wrappers for free. But as they grow and find ways to streamline, (and turn a profit) their model has changed. I totally get it; really, I do. Unfortunately the new model makes it harder for the everyday Jane to get her traditionally un-recyclable clean waste to a responsible recycling center.

Thanks to the ever sophisticated and super annoying algorithms of certain social media companies, the answer appeared to me one night before bed. Subaru.

Subaru, an arguably much much much bigger company than cinder + salt (in case you were unaware) has partnered with Terracycle, and select dealerships now have collection bins in their showrooms. Apart from food wrappers, you can also recycle coffee pods (k-cups) and single use coffee cups. Yay!



Despite their handy dealership finding tool, I highly recommend you call ahead. After one failed trip to a local branch (they had just gotten rid of their bin) I made calls to other dealerships who didn’t even know what I was talking about. Finally I reached the reception desk at Bertera Subaru in Hartford and I was like, “I’ll be there in 30 minutes!”

I wasn’t able to convince anyone to come with me and videotape my extreme eco-activist-awkwardness but let’s just say I unabashedly unfolded the cover of the bin and stuffed wrappers shoulder deep into that collection bin for over 20 minutes. I had to make 3 trips to my car for more boxes of wrappers. Its safe to say Terracycle is getting at least one very overstuffed collection bin back this Spring.

So… cinder + salt will keep collecting snack wrappers and I, their fearless leader, will keep making embarrassing trips to Subaru dealerships to responsibly recycle the wrappers.

Stop by our flagship store, year round, to drop off the following items :

Food & Snack Wrappers made with Mylar and/or foil

Plastic Bottle Caps

Plastic & Bubble-Wrap Shipping Pouches

Wax paper (from stickers and labels)

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