December 2009: Jelinek Cork is pleased to be a part of Cork Reharvest.
Cork ReHarvest is a national recycled cork program with Jelinek Cork being the designated recycler for the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. Please contact us for details. Donations of used wine corks are accepted by us or Whole Foods Markets.

June 2009: Whole Foods Market in Oakville collecting used natural wine corks.
Bring your used natural wine corks to Whole Foods Market in Oakville, Ontario (Cornwall Rd.). Jelinek Cork will then recycle these corks (natural corks only - no synthetics) and keep them out of the landfill. Other collection points in the GTA include the Cork House and Jelinek Cork headquarters.

December 2008: Jelinek Cork launches new recycled cork program.
After many years of success, the Bag-a-Cork program has ceased operations. Jelinek Cork has recognized a continued need to recycle natural cork stoppers and has created a new recycling initiative - "We want your natural corks". More information?

February 2005: Jelinek Cork Group plays major part of a new environmental initiative – Bag-a-Cork Recycling

Greater Toronto Area cork recycling initiative a North American first

Jelinek Cork Group ( www.jelinek.com ) of Oakville, in conjunction with Girl Guides Ontario and Iron Gate Cellarage of Toronto recently announced an innovative environmental program initiative – Bag-a-Cork. The Bag-a-Cork initiative, the first of such in North America, involves the collection of cork bottle stoppers placed into bins at participating locations such as larger hotels, restaurants, designated LCBO locations, retail outlets, wineries, and high rise condominium lobbies. Up-to-date bin locations are listed on the official web site, www.bag-a-cork.org

It is estimated that each year in Ontario over 100 million corks end up in the garbage. This is approximately 543 tones per year.

Jelinek Cork Group was founded in Europe in 1855 and has been headquartered in Oakville, Ontario since 1949. Today the company has offices and warehouse facilities in a number of countries and has supplied cork products to over 30 countries in the past year. Worldwide Jelinek Cork Group supplies over 120 million cork stoppers a year and the company feels the Bag-a-Cork recycling initiative will help offset the number of corks they place into the world markets annually.

The program is simple. People are asked to collect their cork bottle stoppers and deposit them in participating bin locations. The bins are clearly identified (they look similar to newspaper sales boxes). Adult members of Girl Guides will empty the bins and along with the girls will sort the corks to ensure that only 100% cork products are saved for recycling. Jelinek Cork in turn will purchase all the corks from the Guides and recycle them by grinding them up and using the grain particles to produce other cork products such as coasters, placemats, bulletin boards, floor and wall tiles, furniture, gaskets and sporting equipment. Many of these products can be seen and purchased by the public at the Cork House located on Neyagawa Blvd. in Oakville. The Cork House is the showroom and factory outlet for the Jelinek Cork Group.

The Bag-a-Cork program is initially operating in the Greater Toronto Area and is expected to run province-wide within a year. Additionally, the guides plan to develop educational programs to teach the girls about the continuous life cycle of cork and the importance of environmental programs such as this. This is a truly win-win-win initiative.