This post is in partnership with Tom’s of Maine. All opinions are my own.
I went to visit Kennebunk, Maine last month to meet the wonderful people behind the Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste brand. I had the privilege of seeing their factory and just by chance ended up being there while they were doing the very first run of filling the new recyclable tubes. These tubes took a lot of work to create because it must still function like a regular tube yet be recyclable (in your curb side bin). Until now, toothpaste tubes have been made of mixed materials which means they must be landfilled, but this new tube is made fully of #2 HDPE, which allows it to have a second life.
I’m quite passionate about creating less waste and so this genuinely excites me and makes me proud to be an ambassador for a company that is working to be a leader in products that are both good for you and the planet. I was also fascinated to learn about some of the steps that businesses like this one are taking to improve their recycling efforts. It is no secret that plastic waste can be a huge problem for large companies, however, I was impressed to discover that nowadays, plastic balers are being used to compress plastic waste. In turn, compressing plastic waste can save companies time, money, and space, so it is something that is well worth considering. For further information check out some of the Balers for all business waste need from phs Wastekit.
Anyway, Tom’s of Maine Antiplaque & Whitening toothpaste is the first variety you will see released in the new tube but by the end of 2020 all Tom’s of Maine toothpaste will be in the new recyclable tubes!
Now to actually make this as awesome as it is, you have to do your part too! To recycle at home, first check to be sure that your tube has the blue recycling flag. If it doesn’t, it can’t be recycled just yet. If it does, then just put the cap on and put it in your curbside bin but remember that recycling practices vary by municipality and if a town doesn’t accept #2 plastic, the Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Recycling Program, a partnership with TerraCycle, is a recommended option for recycling all personal and oral care packaging regardless of the brand.
Just buying items that are recyclable isn’t enough – we are responsible for making sure they are going to get that second life. I’m not always perfect with my recycling efforts but that was actually one of the 2019 goals I set for myself because I think it’s important to play your part and not just rely on the companies to do the work.
