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Spoolback vs mail-back recycling boxes
Mail-back programs sell you a box, you fill it, and you ship it back. Each new box is a new purchase. Here's what one box costs next to a Spoolback pickup.
Cost per box or pickup
| Option | What you pay | What it takes | How it gets there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoolback | $30 CAD per pickup or $35/month (monthly) or $49/month (every 2 weeks) | PLA and PETG, in separate bins we supply (about 8 kg each) | We collect from your door in the GTA |
| TerraCycle 3D Printing Materials Zero Waste Box Source: TerraCycle Canada | $272 CAD per box | ABS, ASA, HIPS, nylon and TPU. Not PLA or PETG | You pack it and take it to UPS with the prepaid label |
| TerraCycle Plastic Packaging Zero Waste Box (small) Source: Staples.ca | $249.99 CAD per box at Staples.ca | PETG, according to TerraCycle | You pack it and take it to UPS with the prepaid label |
| TerraCycle Biodegradable Plastic Zero Waste Box Source: TerraCycle | $181 USD per box on TerraCycle's US store | PLA, according to TerraCycle | You pack it and take it to UPS with the prepaid label |
| Printerior 3D Filament Recycling Bin Source: Printerior | $114.99 USD per bin US company | PLA or PETG, one material per bin | You ship it back with the prepaid label |
Prices as listed on October 29, 2026, before tax. Prices change, so follow the source links for current ones.
If you print PLA and PETG
TerraCycle's 3D printing box doesn't take PLA or PETG. Its product page sends PLA to the Biodegradable Plastic box and PETG to the Plastic Packaging box, so a shop that prints both buys two boxes each time they fill up. With Spoolback, your PLA and PETG bins go out in the same pickup.
Box sizes
| Container | Size | Holds | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoolback bin | Supplied by us, one each for PLA and PETG | About 8 kg | Included; $30 per pickup or a monthly plan |
| TerraCycle box, small | 10.1" x 9.8" x 18.5" | Up to 50 lb (22.7 kg) | $249.99 CAD per box |
| TerraCycle box, large | 14.5" x 14.2" x 34.6" | Up to 50 lb (22.7 kg) | $459.99 CAD per box |
TerraCycle box sizes are from its Zero Waste Box FAQ; weight limits and prices are from Staples.ca's Plastic Packaging box listings.
Example: a year at a print farm
Say each printer runs at full capacity and makes about 1 kg of scrap a month (failed prints, supports and purge). That's a conservative figure; multi-colour printing makes much more purge. To keep the example generous to the boxes, we count every TerraCycle box as packed to its full 50 lb (about 22.7 kg), and treat all the scrap as one material, so no extra box is needed for a second plastic.
| Print farm | Scrap per year | TerraCycle small boxes | TerraCycle large boxes | Spoolback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 printers | 60 kg | $750 3 boxes | $1,380 3 boxes | $420 Monthly plan, $35/month |
| 20 printers | 240 kg | $2,750 11 boxes | $5,060 11 boxes | $588 Every 2 weeks, $49/month |
Yearly totals before tax. TerraCycle prices are for the Plastic Packaging box, the one TerraCycle names for PETG. With Spoolback, a pickup takes a full PLA bin and a full PETG bin (about 8 kg each), so the monthly plan covers up to about 16 kg a month and the every-2-weeks plan up to about 32 kg. Your real numbers depend on what and how you print; email us and we'll work out yours.
When a mail-back box makes sense
Spoolback only collects in Toronto and the Peel, York, Durham and Halton regions, and only PLA and PETG. If you're outside the GTA, or you print in ABS, ASA, nylon or TPU, a mail-back box is a good way to keep that scrap out of landfill. Our guide to 3D print recycling options in Canada covers the other routes.
Ready for your first pickup?
Sign up in about 3 minutes, choose a plan, and we'll arrange your bins.