#7 Tom Szaky – The Treasure in Our Trash 2017-07-17T22:52:01+00:00

The Reinventing the Supermarket Podcast Series

#7 Tom Szaky – The Treasure in Our Trash

We are joined by Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of Terracycle as we discuss what’s known as “post consumer waste”. The supermarket is responsible for a vast amount of the trash and wastage in our world, and the focus of Tom Szaky and of Terracycle is to identify the treasure we’ve invested in that trash, and to recycle and upcycle as much as possible so as to relieve the pressure on our planet and its resources. It’s a vast task, so where do we even start?

Well Tom Szaky is the guy to talk to about this. He’s written some amazing books, such as Outsmart Waste and Make Garbage Great and he and his company have received numerous awards including from esteemed bodies such as the United Nations and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Importantly, Terracycle already works with every Fortune 500 packaged consumer goods company.

We discuss some of the fundamental issues around the packaging of supermarket goods and what steps we can take, whether as a shopper or as a brand, to minimise both the short and longer term environmental impact of our personal choices. Very importantly, we’re going to talk about how we all need to start thinking a little differently about the packaging we’re about to throw away…because in fact, that’s only the start of its very long life cycle.

tomszakyTom Szaky is the Founder and CEO of TerraCycle, an international leader in the collection and repurposing of difficult-to-recycle post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle collects and repurposes billions of pieces of waste, creating millions of dollars of donations for schools and charities in the process. Many of the world’s largest consumer products companies contract with TerraCycle to collect and recycle the products and packaging they produce. Through TerraCycle, Tom has pioneered a process, involving manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, to create circular solutions for waste that otherwise would go to landfill or be incinerated.

Tom is the author of three books, Revolution in a Bottle, Outsmart Waste and Make Garbage Great. Tom created, produced and stars in a TerraCycle focused TV show, “Human Resources” currently airing on Pivot TV.

Tom and TerraCycle have received over 100 social, environmental and business awards from a range of organizations including the United Nations, World Economic Forum and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Make Garbage Great: The Terracycle Family Guide to a Zero-Waste Lifestyle
Revolution in a Bottle
Outsmart Waste: The Modern Idea of Garbage and How to Think Our Way Out of It
Download on iTunes

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