Time to clean up and simplify a staple in your daily hygiene routine – oral care products!
This gesture can be a complicated one to assess and shift, as we generally find our go to product and don’t really question changing it. But, considering most of us will churn through around 300 toothbrushes in our lifetime (crazy!) not to mention the majority of these products are made of plastic, it is a perfect time to act! Let’s then look at other items such as toothpaste, dental floss, mouth wash, whitening devices… the list goes on! But thankfully, the solution is a simple one! In the last few years we have seen an increase in brands bringing out bamboo alternatives, available in mainstream supermarkets. Bamboo is more sustainable in how it breaks down, and is a less intensive material to produce. Alternatives such as eco friendly floss and more natural toothpastes are also becoming more available (often at health food stores or online eco stores).
Note: We acknowledge making these switches can be a process. So, in the meantime, Terracycle offers a great Oral Care Recycling Programme. This closed loop solution means you can recycle toothpastes, tooth floss, plastic toothbrushes (even heads from electric toothbrushes) and other oral care items, which are then repurposed to make new products.
Action steps:
1. Assess all the oral care products in your bathroom and identify the ones you can will source a sustainable option for first
2. Endeavour to buy the more sustainable option when you next run out. Think:
– Bamboo toothbrush
– Charcoal (or a non plastic) dental floss
– More natural ingredient toothpaste (perhaps in a jar or recyclable container)
– Mouthwash in a recyclable container
3. As part of your criteria, look for products with little plastic packaging
4. To support you in your switch to more environmental alternatives, also set up a box (e.g. a shoe box) in your bathroom or laundry cupboard, ready to store your plastic oral care items as you phase them out
5. Sign up to the Terracycle oral care recycling program and once you have a fairly full box, you can take the box to a drop off point or request a printable postage label and pop the box in the post!
