BIC Launches U.S. Program To Recycle Used Pens, Pencils & More The “WRITE” Way

BIC, a world leader in stationery, lighters and shavers, has partnered with international recycling leader TerraCycle® to offer consumers a free and easy way to recycle their fully-used pens, mechanical pencils, markers and other stationery products and parts of packaging nationwide. As an added incentive, for every shipment of used stationery products collected and sent to TerraCycle through this program, collectors earn points that can be donated to a school or charitable organization of their choice.

“As families spend more time writing, drawing and coloring together, we want to provide them with a responsible way to dispose of their products once they are used. Our collection program with TerraCycle gives consumers a simple way to recycle their writing instruments and art supplies to make a difference in the world,” said Mary Fox, North American General Manager for BIC. “Sustainability has always been at BIC’s core. We are thrilled to expand this program to the U.S. from Europe, where we have successfully recycled an astounding 46 million items.”

Through the BIC® Stationery Recycling Program, consumers can now send in all brands of pens, markers, mechanical pencils, highlighters, glue sticks, watercolor dispensers and paint sets to be recycled for free. The program is also collecting the soft, flexible plastic packaging that some writing instruments are packaged in. Participation is easy: sign up on the TerraCycle program page https://www.terracycle.com/bic and mail in the used items using a prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the waste is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that is remolded to make new recycled products. The BIC® Stationery Recycling Program is open to any interested individual, school, office or community organization.

“Through this free recycling program, BIC offers consumers the unique opportunity to learn about the value of recycling products they use every day while learning, playing or working that would otherwise end up in landfill,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “We are proud to partner with BIC to offer consumers an easy solution for these typically unrecyclable items.”

This is the latest step BIC has taken on its journey to further enhance the sustainability of its long-lasting products, which are made with the least amount of material, and to minimize its impact on the environment, one of the goals in its 2025 “Writing the Future, Together” program.

BIC and TerraCycle began partnering in 2011 to collect and recycle used stationery products in Europe. A similar program was launched in Australia and New Zealand last year.

The two organizations have also partnered to promote the circular economy by offering BIC products through LOOP, an e-commerce circular economy platform created by TerraCycle aimed at eliminating waste and reducing dependence on packaging.

For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit www.terracycle.com.