Boxes are distributed

Schools, businesses, and community organizations around the country order Trash or Treasure™ boxes during each of our seasonal campaigns. The boxes are shipped using the UPS Carbon Neutral Shipment program to ensure we keep the Trash or Treasure™ carbon footprint low.

Boxes are set up

Boxes are unfolded and placed in school classrooms and hallways, store check-out counters, office lobbies and more—the options are endless!

Boxes are shared with the community

Box hosts help drive participation in Trash or Treasure™ by encouraging students, staff, customers, and community members to collect and bring in their wrappers. Our educational material helps, created with the National Wildlife Federation, help educate people of all ages about the value of recycling within the circular economy.

Boxes are filled

Each box is filled up with candy wrappers (and only candy wrappers, please!), taped shut, and mailed back to the recycling processor using a pre-affixed label.

Boxes are processed and recycled

During processing, candy wrappers start their Second Life® as part of the circular economy. The wrappers are sorted by material, cleaned, and ground into small pieces. The plastic pieces then go down a long conveyor belt and into a machine that heats the shredded material, turning it into very small balls called plastic pellets. These pellets are used to make new plastic items!

Box results are recorded

Each box host receives a Certificate of Recycling, confirming how many wrappers their community diverted from landfills.