Every year around 12 billion cork stoppers are sold worldwide. Recycling, in addition to increasing the reuse of raw materials, enables the life cycle of cork stoppers to be extended. Therefore, not only is it possible to decrease the costs associated with the production of other high value-added products, but also to contribute to a cleaner world.

Cork stoppers absorb CO2 particles which they «inherited» from the bark of the cork oak, a tree which has the important ability to retain CO2 which causes the greenhouse effect. If they are decomposed or incinerated, the CO2 is released into the atmosphere and shall contribute to global warming. Conversely, recycling enables the CO2 retention capacity of cork to be extended. In each tonne of cork stoppers, around 1.83 tonnes of CO2 is retained, which, once they have been recycled, this capacity is ensured forever, as the reuse of this raw material is unlimited.

At Amorim Cork America we are partnered with ReCORK™, North America's largest natural wine cork recycling program. Launched in 2008 by Canadian footwear company SOLE. They are an alliance of businesses and individuals who work together to create environmental change by collecting and repurposing natural wine corks. Recycling your natural wine corks in one of our collection bins ensures that cork is used to replace environmentally harmful, petroleum-based materials in consumer products. The recycling program is "plug-and-play" environmentalism, and we need your help to make it work. Recycle your corks, buy products made from cork, and encourage others to recycle their corks—it's that easy!

We have a recycling center here at Amorim Cork America and would love to have your corks back!

Find out more about how to get involved and where you can drop your recycled corks: www.recork.com

You can also find out more about how to recycle corks on your own from the Napa Recycling Center. Did you know that corks should go into your compost bin? They are 100% biodegradable. http://naparecycling.com/cork-recycling/