National Crayon Day is a designated day to celebrate the crayon, and takes place on March 31, 2022.
We hope people all over the world take a moment to appreciate the crayon and think back on wonderful memories of coloring and enjoying their artistic side.
What many do not know about crayons is that they are not biodegradable because they contain petroleum. They are thrown into landfills and linger because they do not break down. Imagine all the crayons thrown away by schools, households and restaurants.
One can recycle crayons in their own home. Just collect old crayons, break into small pieces, melt them down and re-make into a new form. Little Squirrels, a project of Green Squirrel in the UK, provides directions on how to recycle crayons at home.
There are also programs in the United States and Europe that specifically recycle crayons. They melt the crayons down and turn them into new crayons that can be re-used.
These organizations also provide information about crayon collection drives that can be hosted by schools, community organizations, churches and more. So not only are crayons being recycled, but they are collected in a fun community effort.
Here are the top crayon recycling programs in the United States:
Crazy Crayons, based in Arizona. Ship crayons to them to be melted down and shaped into new crayons. They even have an online store where shoppers can buy crayons they reformed into fun shapes like stars and alphabet letters.
The Crayon Initiative, based in California. Also collects crayons that are melted down and turned into new crayons. The crayons are shaped with three sides so they are easy to grip and do not roll off tables. The organization is partnered with hospitals and provides free crayons to child patients.
Here is a top crayon recycling company in Scotland:
Moray Melts, based in Lossiemouth, Scotland. This company melts crayons down and re-shapes them into dinosaurs, bugs, stars, legos, etc. Founded by a mother while she was on maternity leave.
If you do host one of their crayon collection programs in your community, please let us know. We would love to hear how it works out!
