BuzzBallz are ‘greenwashing’ say recycling experts

BuzzBallz was founded by teacher Merrilee Kick, but was bought by the Sazerac Company, whose CEO is Jake Wenz, in 2024.

BuzzBallz’s UK’s mission statement, which was deleted after the BBC contacted the company about this story, said it “loves our planet as much as we love a good cocktail” and partnered with TerraCycle to ensure its packaging gets recycled.

However, TerraCycle, which involves consumers collecting packaging and sending it to be recycled, only runs the BuzzBallz scheme in the United States.

BuzzBallz’s UK FAQs, now also deleted, stated: “Yes, our packaging is recyclable. Please recycle your empties where local facilities allow.”

But no local facilities anywhere in the UK allow BuzzBallz to be recycled, said Adam Herriott, the head of packaging at WRAP.

“They’re a mix of two very recyclable materials that put together makes an unrecyclable format.

“No local authorities will accept these at the kerbside.

“If they end up at a sorting facility, they could end up contaminating the plastic stream because of the metals in there and that could be very problematic for plastics recyclers that get into the machinery.”

But why should people care if their drink packaging is not recyclable?