Don't throw your sauce packets out! They could help save the planet.

In a shocking step, fast food franchise Taco Bell is urging customers to return any used sauce packets. Why? So Taco Bell can recycle them!

Although not well-known, the fact is most used sauce packets will end up in a landfill. How much? Up to 8 billion pounds ... every year. This effect can cause environmental damages, with so much plastic polluting the world as time goes by.

Thus, Taco Bell has decided to partner with recycling company TerraCycle, an acclaimed enterprise that encourages people to recycle difficult items such as razor blades throughout the world on international recycling platforms. Together, Taco Bell and TerraCycle are starting a program where any used sauce packets can be recycled. TerraCycle's goal is to "divert as many used sauce packets as possible away from landfills."

Customers just have to go to TerraCycle's website and sign up for the collaboration's program called Sauce Packet Recycling Pilot Program. Once customers have filled a box with used sauce packets, they can print off a free shipping label before sending it off to be recycled via UPS. This method, as opposed to simply dropping off used sauce packets at Taco Bells, was chosen because it's more convenient for people to take the packets home instead of bringing them back to the store. It will also reduce people's "transportation footprint" for them to drive to Taco Bells to return used sauce packets.

Once TerraCycle receives the sauce packets, they will melt them down, allowing them to be reused. Saucy!

Recently, Taco Bell has been making major steps towards being "green" for the environment. Last year, they eliminated their Mexican Pizza packaging because they used paperboard. Now, their goal is that all their packaging will be recycled or reused in all their locations by 2025.

The Sauce Packet Recycling Pilot Program, so far, has proved positive. Initially started as a trial in April, it is in full swing between Taco Bell and TerraCycle, hopefully leading to more restaurant franchises following in their footsteps. Taco Bell is promoting it by having QR codes in their restaurants.

Will you be returning your sauce packets to recycle? Let us know in the comments.