For the second year in a row, Nomacorc is helping lead the way in wine closure recycling at the Wine Bloggers Conference. This year, Nomacorc will be collecting all types of corks during the conference, and they’ll be working with new partners to ensure that used closures are recycled and upcycled in the most efficient and effective way.
Partnering with retailers across the U.S. has allowed Nomacorc to regionalize recycling programs and focus on supporting local communities. For example, in Texas, they’ve placed bins at Spec’s Wine & Spirits’110 store locations to collect used closures, which are “upcycled,” or repurposed for other uses like crafting. All proceeds generated from this upcycling program are donated to a local breast cancer awareness program.
In Washington, Nomacorc has partnered with Total Wine & More and AtWork! to help streamline the cork collection process. Located just outside of Seattle, AtWork! is a highly supportive and innovative conduit between adults with disabilities and mainstream employers that provides customized jobs for AtWork! participants. After closures are collected at Total Wine, they are sent to AtWork!, where employees will separate and sort natural and synthetic corks, which are then sold to various recyclers. Currently, there’s strong demand for post-consumer synthetic corks, and most synthetic corks can be recycled and made into many plastic-based items including cell phone cases, park benches and outdoor plastic tiling. All proceeds generated from the sales of the used corks are donated back to the AtWork! program.
Based on our location, all closures collected during this year’s Wine Bloggers Conference will be recycled via the AtWork! offices in Bellevue, Washington.
You’ll also see new collection bins for the conference this year. In addition to our large collection bins, Nomacorc has created smaller, more convenient tabletop containers. Made from recycled plastic, these cube boxes will be placed on tasting tables throughout the conference, making it easier for pourers to recycle closures after uncorking. Each day, the cube containers will be emptied into the larger bins. At the end of the conference Nomacorc will recycle all used closures via the AtWork! center.
So, when you taste that crisp, refreshing glass of Okanagan Pinot Gris at WBC this year, do your part to be eco-conscious by dropping off used closures into one of Nomacorc’s Cork Recovery Bins. See you in Penticton!