With Earth Month 2024 in full swing, retailer Walmart Canada has introduced the free Walmart Blue Bag Recycling Program, powered by waste management company TerraCycle.
Customers across Canada can send in their excess or damaged Walmart reusable blue shopping bags to help give them a second life.
TerraCycle will take the eligible bags and either launder and donate them for reuse by charity partners, including Food Banks Canada, or recycle damaged bags into raw formats that manufacturers use to make new products such as plastic shipping pallets and outdoor furniture.
Walmart Canada is calling on customers to get involved with the programme on its Fresh Start Day of Action on 22 April 2024.
Walmart Canada senior manager of sustainability Jennifer Barbazza commented: “We know that transitioning away from single-use plastic bags two years ago has been a learning curve for Canadians – and we’re proud to be learning alongside them as we make this change together.”
TerraCycle founder and CEO Tom Szaky added: “Walmart is leading the way by taking voluntary action to reduce the reusable shopping bags that end up in landfills and incinerators.”
The national reusable bag recycling programme is the latest milestone on Walmart Canada’s journey to become a regenerative company. In 2022, it became one of the largest grocery retailers to eliminate single-use plastic shopping bags.
