Clean Up Peterborough wants your discarded writing instruments as part of its Earth Month recycling focus

Be it at home or the office, we all have them…long used up pens, highlighters, permanent markers and their caps hiding away in a desk drawer.

Clean Up Peterborough is here to remind us such items are recyclable and, in conjunction with Earth Month, is urging businesses and residents to gather up their discarded writing instruments.

Clean Up Peterborough founder Steve Paul says items collected will go to the TerraCycle recycling program where they will be cleaned, separated by material, and repurposed into raw materials that can be used in the manufacture of new products.

Paul organized a similar drive during Circular Economy Month last October.

Once you’ve collected your used up writing instruments, Paul says he can be contacted at cleanuppeterborough@gmail.com and he will pick them up or arrangements can be made to drop them off.

Paul is hopeful that the initiative can become a year-round effort.

Formed last year, Clean Up Peterborough collects other items for re-use and recycling, including milk bags, egg cartons, fishing line,

batteries and aluminum pop can tabs. For more information on its initiatives, follow the group on Facebook or Instagram.

(Written by: Paul Rellinger)