GOVERNOR CORZINE TOURS TERRACYCLE
Trenton, N.J. (August 27, 2009) – Touting the company’s success and continued job growth in the Garden State, Governor Jon S. Corzine today toured TerraCycle, a Trenton-based company that makes affordable, eco-friendly products from a wide range of different non-recyclable waste materials.
“TerryaCycle is on the front lines of the ‘green revolution,’ and the burgeoning new industry that is emerging based on conservation and environmentally-friendly practices,” Governor Corzine said. “These are industries that are creating the jobs of the future. New Jersey is a proud partner with TerraCycle in reducing the amount of waste going into our landfills and creation of useful products while creating business and job opportunities.”
TerraCycle has grown from a staff of two to 55 and expects to double its current workforce within the next two to three years.
Governor Corzine said approximately 13,000 new jobs were added by the private sector in July, an indication that New Jersey’s economic recovery plan – the first state economic recovery plan in the nation – is working.
The company is expanding internationally and opened operations in Brazil in July. In September, they will launch in Mexico and the UK. The company was supported by the State of New Jersey through the Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer Program and also belongs to the City of Trenton’s Urban Enterprise Zone program.
“TerraCycle was born in Princeton, New Jersey and has grown to be a green powerhouse in Trenton, NJ. There is no other state in the country I would rather have founded my business,” said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle co-founder and chief executive officer. “As we continue to expand our operations, there are endless opportunities to grow and provide green jobs to inner-city residents, second chance employees, highly trained professionals and even interns from New Jersey’s many Universities and Colleges.”
Founded in 2001 by a 19-year-old Princeton University freshman, TerraCycle started as an organic fertilizer and has become one of the fastest growing eco-friendly manufacturers in the world. The company manufactures more than fifty products that are available at major retailers like Target, The Home Depot, OfficeMax, Petco and Whole Foods Market.
TerraCycle also runs free national collection programs with partners like Kraft Foods, Frito Lay and Mars Wrigley that pay nonprofits and schools nationwide to collect used packaging such as drink pouches, energy bar wrappers, yogurt cups, cookie wrappers, and chip bags. The collected materials are upcycled into affordable, high quality products ranging from tote bags and purses to shower curtains and kites. TerraCycle currently partners with over 30,000 schools and nonprofits, including Franklin Elementary School, Harrison School and Douglas Elementary School in Trenton. Since its inception, TerraCycle has salvaged over 10 million drink pouches, 50,000 energy bar wrappers, two million plastic bottles, and one million cookie wrappers.
“When we talk about ‘going green’ and ‘green technology,’ it is about doing things better and TerraCycle has found a way to do that,” added Governor Corzine. “We are proud to have this home-grown company as a corporate citizen and as an ally in New Jersey’s Green Revolution.”
