Oral care’s “recycling nightmare” is over as 100% of the UK’s toothpaste tubes are now fully recyclable, Wrap has announced.
“The humble toothpaste tube has become recyclable and should head for the recycling, not the bin, from now on,” the NGO said as it geared up for Recyle Week 2025, which will kick of on Monday (22 September).
More than 252 million tubes were sold in the UK each year, Wrap explained. “Until now, those toothpaste tubes have traditionally contained a sheet of aluminium sandwiched between the plastic, rendering them a recycling nightmare. Today, that changes.”
Following work with oral care suppliers including Colgate-Palmolive and Haleon, “the UK’s second-most wish-cycled item is finally recyclable”, Wrap said, adding that ‘wish-cycling’ was “when people put an item that cannot be recycled in with the recycling”.
In a “landmark move”, all were now “made from the same material as milk bottles using high-density polyethylene”, the organisation claimed. “This means all tubes, sold nationwide, are now technically 100% recyclable and can be recycled into a range of new items, from garden furniture and plastic piping to bleach bottles.”
The news marked “another game-changing moment for recycling”, said Catherine David, Wrap CEO. “We’ve taken one of the most infuriating packaging formats and given it a sustainable makeover. We’re on a mission to ensure all items that can be recycled are recycled, and I’m delighted that now no toothpaste tube need become a landfilling.”
Adrian Sen, sustainability innovation senior manager at Colgate-Palmolive, added: “We are committed to making all our packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable and have been a pioneer in introducing recyclable toothpaste tubes to the market. It’s important to us to make this technology available to all. The leadership and collaborative spirit of Wrap have been vital in helping to make this a reality and create awareness with consumers.”
The move follows numerous concerted efforts by oral care brands to be greener. Recent months have seen the launch of plastic-free toothpaste tubes by Pärla and a refillable toothpaste dispenser from startup Mighty.
Sustainability in the category was “no longer a nice-to-have; it’s becoming the baseline expectation”, said Patrick Verkland, CEO of eco-minded challenger The Humble Co. “From biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes to plant-based floss picks and plastic-free packaging, eco-first design choices are shifting from niche to mainstream.”
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