Staples: Where to Recycle Markers and Pens

Staples_ Where to Recycle Markers and Pens juicygreenmom

Okay. I’m really excited about this. As a parent of a young child, we go through a LOT of markers. I’ve done so much Google research on what to do with dry markers because it makes me feel awful about throwing them out. Well! My prayers have been answered with this new Terracycle Brigade, a partnership with Staples and Newell Rubbermaid. Now I can tell you where to recycle markers and pens, Canadians! Staples!

As far as I can tell, this is a Canadian initiative. (Makes me proud to live up north!) You can recycle any type of writing utensils, including:

  1. Any brand of pens and pen caps
  2. Any brand of mechanical pencils
  3. Any brand of markers and marker caps
  4. Any brand of highlighters and highlighter caps
  5. Any brand of permanent markers and permanent marker caps

From the Brigade page:

“TerraCycle Canada will recycle the depleted writing instruments into items like park benches, waste bins and more. For every used Sharpie®, Paper Mate®, Expo® and uni-ball® product received, $0.02 will be donated to the charity, Earth Day Canada.” (These are all Newell Rubbermaid brands.)

The Terracycle Brigade page has a search box where you can enter your postal code to find a Staples location near you that is participating in this awesome program.

How cool is this? I’ve got a huge pile in a reusable bag that I’m bringing to recycle at my next visit!

UPDATE: I’ve now heard that CRAYOLA will pay for shipping used markers for recycling in the US and in some parts of Canada now! Check it out!

ANOTHER UPDATE: If you have THICK CRAYOLA markers, Canadian Tiny Toy Co. will take them to make learning kits with the lids, and recycle the marker parts through Crayola! You can mail them to Tiny Toy Co., or if you’re in the Toronto area, look for a drop off location!

What do you usually do with your used writing utensils?

(Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. Opinions expressed are my own.)

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10 Responses

    • I hope so too! Terracycle obviously needs to have funding from companies to run these programs, but if this program in Canada goes well, maybe Newell Rubbermaid will do a brigade in the US too!

  1. Living in Oregon, I don’t have the same resources, and Staples is not doing a take back program here. So, we try to stay within the parameters of what can be reused or recycled here. for instance, we use a permanent marker to label clothing, to address packages to be mailed and food packages put into the freezer, and home canned foods as to variety and date canned.
    otherwise, we mostly use crayons, as they has so many uses and the stubs can be easily melted down and remolded. I have, for example, a small star shaped chocolate mold. melting a couple crayon stubs in it results in a five-pointed crayon swirled in two colors. fun to use, easy to hold, and uses up something that might otherwise be wasted.

    • Crayons are so wonderful, aren’t they?? That is so awesome that you have been so diligent about sticking to using them. I have to admit that I had a moment of “caving in” when my daughter discovered markers at another friend’s house and loved them – so I didn’t say no when she asked for them later. Hence now we have those bloody plastic markers! I applaud you for your perseverance and better self control!!

  2. When we were in Canada for a short visit, we were amazed with how diligent you all are with separating EVERYthing for recycling. I remember seeing an advert about recycling plastic on the train. We have a LOOOOONG way to go over here.

  3. Recycling also takes precious resources that we have finite amounts of. I recommend taking a look at refillable markers and bottled fountain pen ink. I use Platinum preppy highlighters and markers. You can refill them with bottled ink of your choice. Wonderpens sells ink syringes you can refill the cartridges with.

    Wonderpens.ca or just Google pen shops in Canada will give you a list of specialty pen shops that sell them. Jetpens and Gouletpens are two major specialty pen stores that do sell what I’m talking about.

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