Beatrice Lang
Electric toothbrushes are considered hard to recycle because they are made of a combination of materials that require dedicated sorting processes to separate and treat them. Oral-B, the popular electric toothbrush brand, has launched recycling initiatives to help divert toothbrushes from landfills. One such initiative is the 'Drop Swap Smile' program, which allows consumers to drop off their old toothbrushes at designated collection bins or send them back via postage. Additionally, Oral-B offers a free national recycling program where consumers can send in their used oral care products, including plastic toothbrushes, toothbrush head refills, and toothpaste tubes, for recycling. However, it is important to note that electric toothbrushes and their parts are not accepted under this program. Other companies, such as Bupa Dental and TerraCycle, also offer similar recycling initiatives for dental care products.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Disposal of electric toothbrush | Send back to Oral-B for recycling |
| Accepted items | Electric toothbrushes, toothbrush chargers, refill brush heads, toothpaste tubes, floss containers, dental picks |
| Packaging | Cardboard box |
| Weight limit | 20 kg |
| Recycling process | Plastics are shredded and melted into pellets to make new recycled products; metals are separated and recovered |
| Alternative disposal methods | Drop off at Bupa Dental recycle bins, Shaver Shop collection bins |
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What You'll Learn
Oral-B's recycling program
Oral-B has partnered with Crest and Fixodent to create the Recycle On Us program, a free national recycling program. Through this program, you can send in used oral care products, such as plastic toothbrushes, toothbrush head refills, toothpaste tubes, mouthwash containers, floss containers, and floss picks.
To participate, simply request a free shipping label, gather your used oral care products, and put them in a box of any size. You can also recycle product outer packaging, like toothpaste cartons and some mouthwash containers, through your local curbside service or municipal recycling drop-off locations. It is important to note that electric toothbrushes, battery toothbrushes, and their parts (except refill brush heads) are not accepted for recycling through this program.
Oral-B also offers the Clic manual toothbrush, which has a replaceable brush head. This allows you to reuse 80% of the brush by simply replacing the brush head every three months. Additionally, the company is working to improve water efficiency in its manufacturing processes and currently uses 100% renewable electricity in its North American manufacturing sites, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In Canada, the Oral-B recycling program is run through TerraCycle. You can sign up for a TerraCycle account, collect your used Crest and Oral-B products and packaging, print a prepaid shipping label, and send it in for recycling. This program also encourages users to ship boxes weighing 3 pounds or more to minimize the transportation carbon footprint.
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Recycling with Terracycle
In partnership with Crest® and Oral-B, TerraCycle offers a free national recycling program for oral care products. This program allows you to send in your used Crest® and Oral-B products and packaging waste for recycling.
To participate in the program, simply request a free shipping label from the Oral-B website and gather your used oral care waste, including spent toothbrushes, floss containers, and toothpaste tubes, into any size box. You can send in Oral-B electric toothbrushes, toothbrush chargers, and other dental-related items. It is recommended to save up a bigger box of items to send at once to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. UPS will not accept dripping packages, so ensure that your items are dry and that you have removed as much remaining product as possible.
Once your box is full, print and affix the shipping label, then send your box to be recycled. You can also drop off your recycling at public drop-off points, which are typically located in public spaces with good traffic flow, such as stores, community centers, places of worship, or libraries. These drop-off points are managed by volunteer administrators who choose the location, hours, and accepted waste streams.
Through this program, you can earn TerraCycle points that can be redeemed for donations to a school, charity, or nonprofit of your choice. The collected oral care products and packaging are cleaned, separated by material type, and recycled into raw formats for manufacturers to create new products.
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Drop Swap Smile initiative
Oral-B's DROP SWAP SMILE initiative is a nationwide program launched in partnership with Veolia and Shaver Shop. The program aims to provide Australians with a new and more sustainable way to dispose of their used toothbrushes. The DROP SWAP SMILE initiative was launched to address the issue of millions of toothbrushes ending up in landfills each year due to the inability to recycle them through regular kerbside recycling.
Through this initiative, Australians can dispose of their old toothbrushes by dropping them into specially designed collection bins available at Shaver Shop stores across Australia. For those who prefer to shop online, a DROP SWAP SMILE envelope and pre-paid postage label are provided with every Oral-B product purchase made via shavershop.com.au. The program accepts manual toothbrushes, electric toothbrush handles, chargers, and brush heads, regardless of the brand.
The DROP SWAP SMILE initiative is a part of Oral-B's commitment to Procter & Gamble's Ambition 2030 targets, which include driving a more circular economy and preventing plastic waste from ending up in the ocean. The company is also working towards making 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2030.
The pilot program for DROP SWAP SMILE ran for a period of three months, starting from 20 September 2021. During this time, Australians could participate in the initiative by dropping off their old toothbrushes or exchanging them for new Oral-B electric toothbrushes, knowing that they were helping to divert waste from landfills while also enjoying the benefits of Oral-B's leading oral care range.
The initiative has been well-received, with Zulfiqar Mahar, Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Operations at P&G ANZ, expressing enthusiasm for providing a new way for Australians to dispose of their used toothbrushes more sustainably. The program also aligns with Veolia's expertise in e-waste recycling and innovative end-of-life solutions, ensuring that the collected toothbrushes are either recycled or diverted from landfills.
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Disassembling the toothbrush
Oral-B has a recycling program in place where you can send in your used Oral-B oral care products, including electric toothbrushes, toothbrush heads, chargers, toothpaste tubes, mouthwash containers, floss containers, and floss picks.
To disassemble the Oral-B electric toothbrush, follow these steps:
First, locate the release button or mechanism on the toothbrush handle. This button is usually located near the head of the toothbrush or at the base of the handle. Press or push the release button to detach the toothbrush head from the handle. Some models may require a gentle pull to separate the head after pressing the release button. Make sure to keep the batteries inside the toothbrush. Do not send loose batteries for recycling.
Next, separate the handle into two parts if it is designed to be detachable. Some electric toothbrushes have a removable bottom part that covers the battery compartment. You can usually twist or pull this section to reveal the batteries. Place the batteries aside, ensuring they are secured and won't come into contact with any metal objects during shipping.
If your toothbrush model doesn't have a detachable handle, you can use a small screwdriver to carefully open it. Look for small screws on the handle and gently pry it open. Remove the batteries and any other removable components, such as the charging port cover or decorative casing.
Once you have disassembled the toothbrush, place all the parts securely in a cardboard box. Do not use a bag or satchel for packaging. Make sure the box does not exceed the weight limit specified by the recycling program. Tape the box securely and attach the provided shipping label.
Finally, send the box to the designated recycling location, which may vary depending on your region. In some cases, you can drop off the box at specific stores or post offices, while in other cases, you may need to ship it to a particular address. Refer to the Oral-B recycling program instructions for your region to confirm the correct shipping method and address.
By properly disassembling and recycling your Oral-B electric toothbrush, you are contributing to a more sustainable future and reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
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Local recycling options
One option is to separate the electric toothbrush into its component parts and recycle them accordingly. The plastic components, such as the toothbrush handle, can be recycled if your local recycling centre accepts random plastics. The electronic components, such as the motor, switch, and charging coil, can be placed in a generic 'metals' bin if your recycling centre has one. Be sure to remove the battery, as batteries should never be thrown in the bin. Many local communities offer battery recycling programs where you can drop off used batteries at a battery recycling facility.
Some big-box home improvement stores, such as Home Depot or Lowe's, may also have battery recycling boxes. Additionally, you can check with your local waste management authorities or use online resources like Earth911 to find the nearest recycling facility that accepts electric toothbrushes.
Another local recycling option is to send your Oral-B electric toothbrush to a company that specializes in recycling, such as TerraCycle. You can sign up for the Crest® and Oral-B Free Recycling Program and download a free shipping label to send your products for recycling. However, it is important to note that as of September 17, 2024, this program only accepts non-electric Oral-B oral care products and packaging.
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Frequently asked questions
Oral-B has a recycling program where you can send in your used electric toothbrushes, chargers, and other dental products. You can print a free shipping label from their website and send your items in a cardboard box.
In Australia, Oral-B has partnered with Shaver Shop and Veolia to provide collection bins in Shaver Shop stores across the country. You can also send in your old Oral-B electric toothbrushes with a prepaid postage label when you purchase a new Oral-B product online.
Yes, you can create a TerraCycle account and join the Electric Toothbrush Recycling Program. You can then download and print prepaid shipping labels and drop off your electric toothbrush waste in a cardboard box at a post office.
Yes, you can recycle the outer packaging of your Oral-B electric toothbrush through your local curbside service or municipal recycling drop-off locations.
You should keep the batteries inside your electric toothbrush when recycling. Do not send loose batteries for recycling. The metals will be separated and recovered during the recycling process.
