As part of its efforts to expand consumer access to sustainable products and programs, PetSmart is partnering with TerraCycle, an international leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials, to launch an in-store recycling program for all brands of empty pet food, treat and cat litter bags made from flexible plastic. The PetSmart Pet Food & Treat Bags Free Recycling Program is now in 100 PetSmart stores across Arizona and New Jersey. The recycling initiative makes it easier for pet parents to embrace sustainable practices, keeping common waste packaging out of the landfill.

“We hear pet parents express their desire to reduce their pet’s impact on the planet,” says Joanne Dwyer, vice president of corporate social responsibility and corporate communications at PetSmart. “Through our partnership with TerraCycle, we are making it easier for pet parents to take small sustainable actions. Focused on recycling those products pet parents buy over and over again, we believe these small actions will add up to make a big impact.”

The US pet food industry produces an estimated 300 million pounds of plastic waste annually, most of which is not accepted through curbside recycling services. As a result, 99% of all pet food packaging is thrown away rather than recycled. The PetSmart recycling program tackles this problem by allowing consumers to collect and recycle their empty pet food, treat and litter bags, keeping them out of landfills and incinerators.

“There’s a common misconception that empty pet food and treat bags are destined for the trash,” says Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “Our partnership with PetSmart makes it easy and convenient for pet owners to recycle these materials, helping to set a new benchmark in the pet retail industry.”

Consumers can drop off empty pet food, treat or cat litter bags in designated recycling bins at participating PetSmart locations. Once received at TerraCycle’s material recovery facilities, the plastic packaging is shredded, cleaned and transformed into raw materials used to make new recycled products. Learn more about how TerraCycle recycles the hard-to-recycle.

Every PetSmart store in Arizona and New Jersey will be participating in the pilot program.