Colgate Launches Vegan Toothpaste With Recyclable Tube, After Five Years Of Research

The toothpaste tubes currently available in the market are made from sheets of plastic laminate sandwiched around a thin layer of aluminum, making them incredibly difficult to recycle via conventional methods.

But Colgate is now giving you another reason to smile with the launch of a vegan-certified toothpaste that comes in a 'first-of-its-kind' recyclable toothpaste tube, which you can toss in the blue bin after the last squeeze.

Colgate

It has been under development since five years and is part of the company's efforts to have all of its products use recyclable packaging by 2025.

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The new tubes that pack Colgate's new Naturals toothpaste range are made using high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the plastic used to make milk jugs and other recyclable plastic bottles.

It's important to note this tube--and plastics, in general--aren't biodegradable. But these recyclable tubes are made out of #2 HDPE plastic, which can be re-processed into all kinds of new things, including construction materials and new packaging.

To stop billions of toothpaste tubes from ending up in landfills, we shared our recyclable tube technology with all the other toothpaste makers. Through sharing, we hope to initiate a global shift to recyclable toothpaste tubes. Together we can make a difference. #EarthDay ??? pic.twitter.com/0j5ncvVcyg

¡ª Colgate Smile (@Colgate) April 22, 2021

But why did it take five years for the oral-care brand to make this recyclable tube?

Colgate said it thought it could use a commonly recycled type of plastic called a "high-density polyethylene" (HDPE) for the new tube, but it discovered that it's not squeezable enough for toothpaste.

ALSO READ: This Guy's Eco-Friendly Grass Straw Can Reduce 8.3 Billion Plastic Straws Thrown Away Each Year

It's so-called "eureka moment" came when it compiled several grades of HDPE material in a toothpaste tube. That correct combination "allows people to comfortably squeeze out all the toothpaste, protects the integrity of the product, and meets the demands of high-speed production," the company said.

Colgate

Colgate advises people not to cut open the toothpaste tube to try and remove excess toothpaste. ¡°During the processing of the tube at the recycling facility, the tube is ground up and goes through a "rinsing" process, where all the residual toothpaste is washed off the plastic. So there's no need for you to do any rinsing at home,¡± the company said in an FAQ.

¡°Colgate wants to make tubes a part of the circular economy by keeping this plastic productive and eliminating waste,¡± said Noel Wallace, Chief Executive Officer and President of Colgate-Palmolive, in a release.

¡°This advancement can make a significant difference in the marketplace today as we test new packaging materials, product formats and refillable models to reduce our use of plastic.¡±