We’re committed to reducing the environmental impact of looking after your health

Explore Bright Smiles,
Bright Futures® new
partner

Explore Bright Smiles,
Bright Futures® new
partner

Kid smiling while she eats her breakfast

We’re committed to reducing the
environmental impact of looking
after your health

You can have a bright, healthy smile and do better for the environment at the same time. Below, you can find out more about how to dispose of our favourite oral care products in Australia & New Zealand. Where possible, we’re always looking for end-of-life solutions for our products that avoid them ending up in landfill. We’re constantly looking for the best solutions that are better for you and better for our planet.

Use the table to below to find out where you can locally direct your oral care products, once you have finished with them.

The Programs

Toothpaste Tubes
Australia
Recyclable via Kerbside Recycling
New Zealand
Check locally. If not, Tubes can be recycled with TerraCycle New Zealand.

Toothpaste Caps
Australia
Recyclable via TerraCycle Australia.
New Zealand
Currently not recyclable at home. We recommend recycling via Caps and Lids Programme.

Manual Toothbrushes
Australia
Recyclable via TerraCycle Australia.
New Zealand
Recyclable via TerraCycle New Zealand.

Interdental Brushes & Floss Picks
Australia
Recyclable via TerraCycle Australia.
New Zealand
Recyclable via TerraCycle New Zealand.

Kids Toothbrushes
Australia
Recyclable via TerraCycle Australia.
New Zealand
Recyclable via TerraCycle New Zealand.

Electric Toothbrush Heads
Australia
Recyclable via TerraCycle Australia.
New Zealand
Recyclable via TerraCycle New Zealand.

Floss Containers
Australia
Recyclable via TerraCycle Australia.
New Zealand
Recyclable via TerraCycle New Zealand.

Mouthwash bottles & caps.
Australia
Bottle & Cap - Kerbside Recyclable in Australia.
Sleeve - Dispose of in general waste
New Zealand
Bottles - Kerbside Recyclable in New Zealand
Caps - Recycle via Caps & Lids Recycling Scheme
Sleeve - Dispose of in general waste

Majority of Toothpaste Cartons, cardboard backing cards
Australia
Kerbside Recyclable in Australia
New Zealand
Kerbside Recyclable in New Zealand over 100x140mm

Electric Toothbrushes & Chargers
Australia
Currently not recyclable at home. Check locally for one off recycling e-waste events - often run by local councils.
New Zealand
Currently not recyclable at home. Check locally for e-waste recyclers who accept electronic items for recycling, in exchange for a small fee.

Whitening Pens
Australia
Currently not recyclable at home. Please dispose of in general waste.
New Zealand
Currently not recyclable at home. Please dispose of in general waste.

Whitening Devices & Chargers
Australia
Currently not recyclable at home. Check locally for one off recycling e-waste events - often run by local councils.
New Zealand
Currently not recyclable at home. Check locally for e-waste recyclers who accept electronic items for recycling, in exchange for a small fee.

Water Flossers, Nozzles & Chargers
Australia
Currently not recyclable at home. Check locally for one off recycling e-waste events - often run by local councils.
New Zealand
Currently not recyclable at home. Check locally for e-waste recyclers who accept electronic items for recycling, in exchange for a small fee.

Meet our recyclable tubes*

You can make a difference by reaching for one of our recyclable tubes. Use it and then recycle it. After recycling these tubes get turned into useful products. Watch the video to learn more about our recyclable tubes and our vision for product packing in the future.

*Your community may not yet accept tubes for recycling. Check locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I recycle the tube?

    If your Colgate toothpaste displays the recyclable tube symbol, then it can be recycled either through local council recycling (follow local council guidelines for recycling HDPE #2 plastics) or TerraCycle. You can find out more about TerraCycle where you are, here: TerraCycle Australia & TerraCycle New Zealand.

    When recycling your tube simply squeeze out as much of the toothpaste from the tube as possible and recycle with the cap removed.

  • Are the caps recyclable?

    Colgate toothpaste caps are made from polypropylene, which is not generally collected in yellow bins or kerbside recycling. The cap can be recycled with other non recyclable oral care waste, such as plastic toothbrushes, through Terracycle. You can find out more about TerraCycle in your location, here: TerraCycle Australia & TerraCycle New Zealand.

    We are continuing with our research to convert all of our caps into a more compatible material with the HDPE stream.

  • What are you doing to ensure these tubes are accepted by recycling facilities?

    A lot, actually. We’re leading industry groups and working with industry partners globally and across Australia & New Zealand on education about recyclability and wider acceptance of recyclable tubes. We're sharing our knowledge and technology with any other interested company. We're also verifying the sortability of tubes through testing in real facilities to make sure there is not too much mis-sorting. The more recyclable tubes are used in the market and as more recyclers are educated about recyclable tubes, the easier it will become for reprocessors to recycle tubes coming their way.

  • Why are some of your toothpastes in the new recyclable tube while others aren’t?

    The plan is for all of our toothpaste tubes to be recyclable by the end of 2025. It takes time to make the transition, and during this time some of our toothpastes will be in recyclable tubes while others won't have transitioned yet. For now, make sure your tube is marked with the recyclable tube symbol before placing it into a recycling bin. Follow local council guidelines for recycling HDPE #2 plastics or recycle with TerraCycle.

    However, for tubes which are still making the transition, we've partnered with TerraCycle in Australia and New Zealand to give a second life to your used oral care packaging. Find out more about our Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program where you are here: TerraCycle Australia & TerraCycle New Zealand, and how you can help prevent eligible oral care packaging from ending up in landfill.

  • Is this tube biodegradable?

    No, this tube (and plastics in general) are not designed to be biodegradable. The #2 HDPE plastic used in our tubes can be re-processed into new products and packaging.

  • This tube is still made of plastic, how will it help the environment?

    Our recyclable tubes are made out of #2 HDPE plastic, which is one of the most recycled plastics. HDPE can be turned into all kinds of new things, from new packaging to fence posts! Switching to recyclable has the potential to keep millions of tubes out of landfills sites across Australia & New Zealand.

  • What is this tube made of?

    The tube is primarily made of HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), #2 plastic

    The cap is made of PP (Polypropylene), #5 plastic.

  • Why do we share our tube technology?

    This project isn't about us, it’s about something bigger. By sharing our technology hopefully we can initiate a global shift to recyclable toothpaste tubes. Our dream is to have all tubes (not just toothpaste) be recycled in practice and at scale.

  • What happens after the tubes are recycled?

    Once you have placed your recyclable tube into kerbside recycling or sent it to Terracycle, the tube enters the recycling process. It is sent to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where it is sorted with other similar materials and then moves on to a reprocessor who cleans and processes the plastic into little plastic pellets. The pellets can then be turned into new products, packaging and more!

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