Tesco has introduced a pilot scheme for recycling broken plastic toys into educational materials for schools.
- The initiative, in collaboration with Hasbro and Wastebuster, runs until December 4th in selected stores.
- Families are encouraged to donate toys to charities first but can recycle broken ones in dedicated bins.
- Recycled toys are processed into plastic pellets for making items like hangers and chairs.
- Participating schools can earn points for book vouchers to purchase discounted books.
Tesco has embarked on a new environmental initiative by trialing an in-store campaign that encourages the recycling of broken plastic toys. This scheme, set to run from September 4th to December 4th, aims to transform discarded toys into valuable educational resources for UK schools.
In partnership with Hasbro and environmental education company Wastebuster, Tesco has placed recycling bins in selected stores. This partnership highlights Tesco’s commitment to sustainable practices and its efforts to reduce plastic waste in innovative ways.
The scheme not only targets environmental sustainability but also encourages families to first consider rehoming toys through charitable means. Toys can be given to friends, families, or local charities, ensuring a second life before opting for recycling.
For toys that are broken and beyond repair, Tesco offers a recycling option where these toys are collected, cleaned, and broken down into plastic pellets. These pellets are then repurposed to create new products, including coat hangers, chairs, and coffee machines, highlighting a circular approach to waste.
Ally Rose, Tesco’s category director for toys, states, ‘We are always looking for new ways to remove, reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic in our business, so we’re delighted to be able to support the Recycle to Read campaign as a way to help our customers do more of this at home.’
An additional incentive for participants comes in the form of Planet Care Points. Re-homed and recycled toys can be registered on the Wastebuster website, allowing schools attended by children from two to eleven in the Sussex area to earn points.
The Recycle to Read scheme offers financial rewards, where the 50 highest point-scoring schools will receive book vouchers from a prize fund of £5,000. These vouchers can be used to purchase discounted books from children’s publishing house Harper Collins.
This initiative aims to foster environmental responsibility while supporting education through innovative recycling efforts.
