Tom Szaky Case Study

This month we are featuring a New Jersey local social entrepreneur, Tom Szaky, who “stopped viewing garbage as garbage and instead slowly started to see it as a commodity” by actively collecting “difficult-to-recycle packaging and products and repurposes the material into affordable, innovative products.”
Who is Tom Szaky?
Entrepreneurs take risks, but the ones we admire the most are the businessmen who seek to change the world and everyday lives. We’ve featured several businesses with CEOs that are looking to make a global impact such as One Acre Fund with Andrew Youn and Solidarium with Tiago Dalvi, but it was time to feature a socio-entrepreneur close to time.
Tom Szaky is an entrepreneur that not only created a successful small business
and began producing organic fertilizer by packaging liquefied “worm poop” in used soda bottles. Once the company picked up speed, TerraCycle became one of the fastest-growing green companies in the world.
“I saved, borrowed and begged to raise $20,000 to create a Worm Gin to house my worms and convince my school’s cafeteria service to give me their waste. Four months later I had dropped out [of school] to dedicate myself full time to TerraCycle.” – Tom Szaky
TerraCycle has since shifted to collecting waste products, and they work with more than 100 major brands in the U.S. and 22 countries overseas to collect used packaging, unrecyclable plastics, and products such as pens, shoes, and cigarette butts that would otherwise be destined for landfills. It repurposes that waste into new, innovative materials and products that are available online and through major retailers.
Listen to the full interview with Albe Zakes about TerraCycle and why people need to be passionate about making an environmental difference, and Tom Szaky’s passion that drives the
These materials range from unrecyclable plastics to cigarette butts. The company rarely uses new plastics or materials when manufacturing their products. This cuts down on both landfill waste and the need to create new plastics (which don’t biodegrade).
TerraCycle has moved on from their start in creating products to licensing to manufacturers, and has approximately 200 products offered under their name.
Plant Food
The company originally created fertilizer which was made by feeding organic waste to worms. It packages the material in reused plastic water bottles and soda bottles. The spray bottle tops are rejects from other companies that TerraCycle repurposes for their products.
Upcycle Products
TerraCycle creates products from other waste items such as pencil cases and backpacks made from used Capri Sun drink pouches. They create all types of times including messenger bags, binders, notebooks, and tote bags.
Recycled Products
Plastic packaging waste that is not upcycled is recycled into plastic products including flower pots, plastic lumber, plastic pavers, bike racks, park benches, and garbage and recycling