National Sunscreen Day Shines A Light On Sustainable SPF: Recycle Your Empty Sunscreen Tubes With TerraCycle

TRENTON, N.J. (May 22, 2025) — National Sunscreen Day (May 27) is a reminder to protect your skin—and an opportunity to think about how we protect the planet. As people stock up on SPF essentials for summer, TerraCycle® is making it easier than ever to responsibly recycle those empty or expired sunscreen containers that usually get tossed in the trash.

Most sunscreen tubes and bottles aren’t accepted through curbside recycling because the cost of collecting and processing the materials is higher than the value of the recycled materials—making them unprofitable for local recyclers. That’s where TerraCycle comes in. As an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, TerraCycle partners with leading skincare brands to sponsor free recycling programs for hard-to-recycle packaging—including SPF products.

“Many people think empty or expired skincare products can only be thrown away, but technically, almost anything can be recycled,” said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “With the help of our recycling partners, consumers can enjoy their summer adventures sustainably by responsibly disposing of their empty sunscreen packaging.”

Consumers can recycle sunscreen packaging from a wide variety of skincare brands through TerraCycle’s free recycling programs. Brands offering programs that accept SPF and skincare packaging include:

• Beekman 1802 Free Recycling Program

• Burt’s Bees Free Recycling Program

• dermalogica Free Recycling Program

• eos Free Recycling Program

• innisfree Free Recycling Program

• Josie Maran Free Recycling Program

• LimeLife by Alcone Free Recycling Program

• Murad Free Recycling Program
  

To participate, visit terracycle.com to sign up for a program, download a free shipping label, and send in your empty containers. While cleaning is not required, removing excess product is recommended. Once received, the products are sorted by type and sent for processing. Plastics are recycled into pellets that can be used to make new products. Metals are separated and smelted for reuse in manufacturing. Glass is cleaned and used in aggregate construction materials. The result: valuable resources stay in circulation and out of landfills and incinerators.

To learn more about how TerraCycle recycles skincare packaging, visit terracycle.com/en-US/pages/how-terracycle-recycles-beauty-products. For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit terracycle.com.

About TerraCycle
TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and households, across a wide range of accessible programs and has raised millions for schools and nonprofits since its founding more than 20 years ago. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit terracycle.com.