Every year Crayola makes half a billion markers to be sold around the world. That’s enough markers to circle the earth more than three times! Millions of kids use and love markers, but they are becoming concerned with the problem of discarded plastics. These plastics escape into the ocean and then enter our food chain as they are broken down into smaller pieces.
“I love your markers, but I’d like to tell you it’s polluting. So can I please send some of your markers back? I love your product, but hate pollution," says Zachary, age 9 from Sun Valley School in a letter to Crayola.
These students started an online campaign against Crayola to get them to start a “take back” program. Noting the slow response from Crayola, competitor Dixon Ticonderoga agreed to start a “take back” program simply because it’s “the right thing to do,” CEO Timothy Gomez stated in a press release.
Dixon Ticonderoga’s recycling program will process the company's Prang line of markers for recycling. The company will offer prepaid UPS shipping labels for marker hauls of seven pounds or more.
To encourage the recycling efforts of Sun Valley Elementary students, the company has provided the school a year’s supply of Prang markers.
The Fibrex Group’s Recycle Box would be a perfect solution for collecting all of those markers at schools, daycares, recreation centers, or even at home. The Recycle Box comes in a generous 32 or 44 gallon bin size and is made from recycled plastic itself so the kids can see the closure of the recycling loop in person.
The Crayola petition is still available to sign online at Change.org.
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