Woolworths has come up with an eco-friendly solution for that growing pile of spare Gold Simbas you don't know what to do with.
Children, parents and avid collectors have converged on the supermarket giant to snap up as many of the treasured Disney collectors' items as they can get their hands on.
But as the hunt continues for that elusive Furry Simba (only 100 were released), dime-a-dozen characters are building up in St George and Sutherland Shire households.
To prevent these unwanted plastic toys from becoming landfill, the supermarket has teamed up with recycling company TerraCycle to turn them into pellets.
Collectors who no longer want any of their Lion King Ooshies can simply hand them over to a staff member at their nearest Woolies.
Woolworths programs manager Sarah De La Mare said the company sought to create a fun and exciting shopping experience for Australian families, while also being mindful of environmental responsibilities.
"We're passionate about the circular economy, and have established a partnership with TerraCycle to turn any pre-loved Ooshies into plastic pellets," Ms De La Mare said.
"The pellets will be used to make outdoor products such as garden beds, decks, fences and benches.
"The bag the Ooshies come in is also made of FSC material and can be recycled via kerbside yellow bins."
Rare Ooshies are selling on Gumtree, Ebay and other sites for thousands of dollars.
A sunset Simba was recently listed for sale on Gumtree for $40,000.
A Katandra West farmer chopped up a prized-Woolworths Ooshie on live TV, after copping abuse for trying to sell it online.
Melissa Portingale and Stephen Black posted an ad on Facebook selling a rare Simba Ooshie, the first ever made.
They were asking for $5000 for the The Lion King toy, originally saying they would use the money to pay for water for their farm, but after threats and online abuse they destroyed the collectable.
