Today, hundreds of L’Oreal USA employees will participate in a major restoration project designed to rebuild a local New York community garden, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

But this garden will be unique – the team will use non-recyclable post-consumer beauty waste to create it, in partnership with TerraCycle.

Once it’s complete, GrowNYC will maintain food, flowers, and herbs in dozens of newly-installed garden beds made out of the recycled beauty materials. The garden is estimated to yield 1,500 pounds of vegetables a year.

The garden is at East Harlem’s oldest and largest social service agency, the Union Settlement Association, 237 East 104th Street. It services 10,000 city residents including senior citizens, preschoolers and community members.

The beauty waste to be used in Garnier’s Green Garden was collected by Garnier’s Personal Care and Beauty Brigade Program, a free fundraising effort that pays for every piece of waste collected and returned to TerraCycle.

The collected beauty waste, which would otherwise be destined for landfills, consists of non-recyclable haircare, skincare and cosmetic packaging. These products have since been recycled by TerraCycle to create many of the plastic components being installed in the new garden.

Garnier spokesperson Bridget Moynahan will be present for the activities today, which include a groundbreaking ceremony.

“We’re thrilled to have created a program that has the capacity to impact the quality of life for an entire community. Our commitment to sustainability isn’t just about keeping packaging waste from personal care and cosmetics products out of landfills, but it’s also about reusing that waste and providing a foundation for greener living,” said David Greenberg, president of Maybelline New York-Garnier-Essie.

Marcel Van Ooyen, executive director of GrowNYC, added, “Our work is only possible by the generous contributions of our supporters….Garnier’s philanthropy is notable as is their commitment to the responsible and efficient repurposing of beauty waste and sustainability as a way of life.”

Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO, concluded, “…the garden will be a permanent testament to the impact recycling can have on a community and in our world.”