Pet Supplies Plus & Wag N’ Wash Recycle Three and a Half Tons of Pet Product Packaging Waste Through Partnership with TerraCycle
Pet Supplies Plus, the largest and most trusted pet retail franchise in the United States and Wag N’ Wash, the emerging self-wash, grooming and natural pet food franchise, celebrate a recycling milestone in light of Earth Day. Since announcing a commitment to sustainability in October 2023, the brands have collected and recycled three and a half tons of pet product packaging waste through a partnership with TerraCycle, the international leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials. The launch of the partnership marked another milestone as Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash were the first pet retailers to join forces with TerraCycle, with recycling stations launching in retail locations across the country.
The pet industry produces 300 million pounds of plastic waste yearly and 99 percent of all pet food packaging is thrown away rather than recycled, impacting various ecosystems. When it comes to pet product packaging waste, it’s vital that pet parents are educated on whether the packaging belongs in the recycling bin or the trash can or if it’s contaminated and will be rejected by recycling facilities. To prevent further harm to the environment, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash remain committed to sustainability and educating neighbors on responsible waste management.
Now with in-store recycling programs that offer a free and convenient solution to give pet food, treat and litter bags a second life, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash enable neighbors to practice sustainable habits. Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash stores nationwide have collection bins where neighbors can drop off empty flexible plastic pet food, treat and litter bags from any brand for any species of pet. All collected waste is sent to TerraCycle to be cleaned, separated by material type and recycled into raw formats that manufacturers use to make new products.
“Most pet food and treat bags are not accepted by curbside recycling services due to their complex, multilayer packaging, which is often too expensive for local recycling facilities to process,” said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle Founder and CEO. “As the first major pet retailers in the United States to offer a free recycling program for all brands of pet food packaging, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash are setting a great example for the rest of the pet retail industry.”
The in-store recycling program was created to educate neighbors while making an impact on reducing plastic waste. Pet parents can learn more about which products can be recycled on the Pet Supplies Plus and the Wag N’ Wash websites.
“We are blown away by how many neighbors came into our stores and contributed to saving three and a half tons of plastic from being poured into landfills throughout the past six months,” said Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash. “The partnership with TerraCycle is our commitment to reducing waste so that our neighbors and pets can all live in a better world.”
Pet Supplies Plus offers a wide array of natural pet foods and a variety of US-made pet consumables, including food, treats, rawhide and chews. Every store is set in welcoming neighborhood environments and supported by team members who get to know their neighbors and pets by name. Full-service grooming, self-serve pet wash stations and fresh bakery treats are also available in-store at many locations. Furthermore, neighbors can fill prescriptions online and receive home delivery for quality medications and specialty diets. Whether shopping in-store or online, choosing local is easy. For more information, visit Pet Supplies Plus.
Each Wag N’ Wash location offers both a self-serve pet wash station and full-service grooming salon. In the self-serve pet wash area, neighbors are met with a self-wash attendant who provides aprons, towels, dry brushes, wet scrub brushes, shampoo, conditioner and cologne spray. In the full-service grooming salon, neighbors work with our top-tier, professional groomers to provide full-service grooming, including nail trims, ear cleanings and more. With services being a primary part of the business, each Wag N’ Wash also offers a variety of dog and cat products such as supplements, pet food, collars and leashes, toys, supplies and other unique goods. For more information, visit Wag N Wash.