The Elmer´s Glue Crew Recycling Program encourages classrooms nationwide to actively learn about recycling by collecting empty Elmer´s glue bottles and glue sticks.

Classrooms can win prizes along the way for their participation including a special year-end Grand Prize. As part of a special program, starting on Earth Day and running through the end of the school year, teachers and parents can also take their boxes of clean "empties" to the nearest Wal-Mart store and drop them off with the people greeter.

Through the Brigades, TerraCycle and its sponsors help schools or other community groups raise money for a charitable organization of the collector´s choice, which can include his or her own school. Participation is free and all shipping costs are paid. To date, more than 70 million juice pouches, 11 million cookie wrappers and 500,000 energy bar wrappers were kept out of landfills. TerraCycle and its sponsors paid almost $500,000 dollars to more than 50,000 schools or non-profits. Schools can sign up for the Glue Crew Recycling Program at TerraCycle´s Web site, www.terracycle.net/brigades.

In addition to the Elmer´s bottles and sticks, kids and adults can collect juice pouches, cookie wrappers, granola bags and much more. The entire list of Brigades is available at www.terracycle.net.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com