Recyclable toothpaste tubes introduced in the UK

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Wed. 1 October 2025

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BANBURY, England: Traditional toothpaste tubes present environmental and practical challenges because they are often excluded from standard recycling systems and contribute significantly to plastic pollution. When these tubes break down into microplastics, the particles can enter waterways, oceans and soil, potentially harming ecosystems and even entering the food chain. Marking a significant step towards sustainable practices in dentistry, an industry-led initiative aims to ensure that all toothpaste tubes sold in the UK are made recyclable.

The environmental footprint of toothpaste tubes is enormous: about 252 million tubes are sold in the UK each year, according to the UK’s environmental non-governmental organisation the Waste and Resources Action Programme(WRAP).¹ Estimates suggest that globally approximately 20 billion tubes are produced per year.² Unfortunately, since toothpaste tube recycling is not commonplace in many countries, a great number of these tubes are discarded and end up in landfill or other disposal routes.

Going forwards, all toothpaste tubes sold in the UK will be made of high-density, recyclable polyethylene and will be able to be recycled either through local kerb-side collections or by returning them to any Boots store nationwide. The initiative, led by major toothpaste brands such as Colgate-Palmolive and Haleon in collaboration with WRAP, aims to overcome the recycling challenges of traditional tubes, which are constructed from a mix of aluminium and plastic.

WRAP CEO Catherine David said in a press release: “We’ve taken one of the most infuriating household items and made it recyclable.”³

Dr Joseph Muscat, environmental stewardship and innovation director at Haleon, added: “Making toothpaste tubes recyclable is a major step forward in reducing plastic waste. At Haleon, we’re proud to have played a leading role in this industry-wide shift, helping to turn a daily routine into a more sustainable one.”

Adrian Sen, senior packaging sustainability and innovation manager at Colgate-Palmolive, commented: “We aim to contribute to a healthier planet through sustainable practices and are dedicated to converting all of our toothpaste tubes to the recyclable plastic tube design.”

Dental industry representatives are encouraging oral healthcare professionals to inform their patients about the initiative. Given that dentists play a crucial role as the front line of behaviour change through promoting oral health practices, their involvement is key to reducing the volume of discarded toothpaste tubes ending up in landfill.

The change has been positively received by dental brands across the industry. The announcement also coincided with the UK’s 2025 Recycle Week, held from 22 to 28 September.

Editorial note:

References:

Waste and Resources Action Programme. No more landfillings—all toothpaste tubes now recyclable for Recycle Week. Banbury: Waste and Resources Action Programme; 2025 Sep 19 [cited 2025 Oct 1]. Available from: https://www.wrap.ngo/media-centre/press-releases/no-more-landfillings-all-toothpaste-tubes-now-recyclable-recycle-week.
Bradley N. Finally a sustainable toothpaste tube. New York: Colgate-Palmolive; 2021 April [cited 2025 Oct 1]. Available from: https://www.colgateprofessional.com/students-faculty/trending-topics/finally-sustainable-toothpaste-tube.
Thomas R. Toothpaste tubes now recyclable across the UK. Shenley: Finlayson Media Communications; 2025 Sep 22 [cited 2025 Oct 1]. Available from: https://dentistry.co.uk/2025/09/22/toothpaste-tubes-now-recyclable-across-the-uk/.

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