Whole Foods Markets Launches Wine Cork Recycling

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Apr 7th 2010 at 7:02PM

Whole Foods Markets is making a big push toward cork recycling. Every Whole Foods Market will have a collection box for wine corks. The program will be available in all 292 store locations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The program is a partnership with Cork ReHarvest and Whole Foods is the first national retailer to launch a cork recycling program. They first started cork recycling a couple of years ago with a pilot program in some northern California stores.

The corks will have different second lives depending on where they are located. West of the Rockies, corks will be delivered to Western Pulp and will be turned into recyclable wine shippers containing 10 percent cork. In the Midwest, corks will be sent to Yemm & Hart, which produces cork floor tiles. And on the East Coast and in the UK, corks will be transported to Jelinek Cork Group, one of the oldest cork manufacturers in North America, where corks will be made into post-consumer products.

Tags: cork recycling, cork reharvest, whole foods, whole foods market, whole foods markets, wine

Filed under: Wine

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Cooper Apr 11th 2010 11:38PM

Screw that! I've been collecting corks for years. You got corks you want to get rid of? Send them to me. At least I won't turn around and sell them!

Libby Apr 12th 2010 5:25AM

Just FYI. F' that noise..SAVE YOUR CORKS!! . Use your old corks as "Place Settings," at your next party. Stick a name on the cork (with a a paper clip) in front of the plate, and have your guest sit their ass down at that place. It's a beautiful and creative thing. Everyone will enjoy it and acknowledge your creativeness. Please respond/e-mail me, if it works for you. Love ya! !!!