TOY giant Hasbro has launched a UK-wide take-back and recycling scheme for toys, as part of its partnership with TerraCycle.
Under the scheme, members of the public will be able to drop off their used toys at any one of 200 collection points, hosted at locations such as supermarkets and community centres.
Kay Green, Country Manager at Hasbro UK and Ireland, told British Plastics and Rubber Magazine: “At Hasbro, we know kids and families everywhere share our passion for protecting our planet.
“Since launching the Hasbro Recycling Programme in the U.S. in 2018, we’ve successfully expanded to additional markets throughout the world, to offer more consumers a sustainable solution for giving new life to their well-loved toys and games and we’re proud to further extend the programme, in partnership with TerraCycle, to the UK.”
The program accepts all Hasbro toys and games, including: board games, electronic toys and games, metal, plastic and wood toys and games, action figures, dolls, plush toys, etc.
Once collected, the toys and games are separated by composition (plastics, metals, organics) and processed into raw materials.
These materials are then used to make new recycled products.
Batteries, juvenile products, such as playpens, car seats, high chairs, swings, bouncy seats and ride-on products, such as bicycles, tricycles, scooters and skateboards are not covered by the scheme.
Users of the scheme will be incentivised to keep donating through a rewards programme, whereby they receive 100 loyalty points for every kilogram of toys dropped off.
Points can then be redeemed online for financial donations to schools and charities.
Hasbro is already using this model for toy take-back schemes in the US, Canada, France, Germany and Brazil and claims it has proven a great success since its advent in 2018.
Hasbro is notably aiming to remove “virtually all” plastic from its product packaging by the end of 2022.
Polybags, shrink wrap, window sheets and elastic bands will all be phased out over the next two years, following a successful phase-out of non-recyclable wire ties.
