Corks (From Wine Bottles)

Corks can be used in craft and art projects - consider donating to schools, daycare centers or art studios. You can also use them as mulch in the garden, or grind them up and use in potting soil or as drainage medium in plant pots. Efforts to collect corks for recycling are increasing - although there are no known projects in Connecticut.

Yemm and Hart, a company in Missouri is collecting wine cork stoppers (no plastic) with the goal of converting them into a useful self sustaining product. For more information contact Yemm and Hart or by phone at 573-783-5434.

Another option is ReCORK, a project collecting natural corks (no plastic) with a recycling market based in Portugal. ReCORK America, located in California, lists Public Drop-off Locations in New Jersey, New York, Maine, and Pennsylvania, or you can ship directly to them.

Cork ReHarvest, a program of the non-profit Cork Forest Conservation Alliance, partners with grocery stores, wine and bottle shops, winery tasting rooms, food and beverage and hospitality industries to collect cork at restaurants, hotels, wine bars, convention and performing arts centers. Drop-off locations in CT and surrounding states are listed.

TerraCycle, located in New Jersey, collects plastic wine corks and can be contacted on line or by phone at 609-393-4252. TerraCycle pays you for shipping and for each item you send. They also sell products made from the corks and an assortment of items they buy directly from the public.