Not sure who needs to hear this, but it’s suggested that you should replace your toothbrush every three months. In most cases, that means replacing an old, plastic toothbrush with a new, plastic one four times a year. The average person will go through 300 toothbrushes (most of which are plastic) in their lifetime, and in the US alone, 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are discarded every. single. year. That’s enough toothbrushes to wrap around the Earth four times. Let me repeat. Every year, the US produces enough plastic toothbrushes to wrap around the Earth FOUR. TIMES.
Plastic toothbrushes cannot be recycled because their small parts get stuck in machinery, and since plastic never fully biodegrades, it means that every single plastic toothbrush ever created is still on this planet today (in either a landfill somewhere, or worse, the ocean), and will remain on this planet forever. Pretty scary, huh?
Plastic toothbrushes were one of the first things that I stopped buying when I started my Zero Waste journey eight years ago, and swap them for biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes. Bamboo is not only one of the most sustainable, regenerative materials on Earth (growing up to 4 inches per day, with minimal water and no pesticides or fertilizers), but it also decomposes within 6 months after composting it! If you want to learn more about why bamboo toothbrushes are awesome, check out this interview that I had with Ro, the founder of Brush with Bamboo.
If you have also made the switch to brushing with bamboo and have noticed that it might be time for a replacement, here’s how to responsibly dispose of your old brush:
1. Repurpose
Even though you may not want to use your old toothbrush on your teeth, it doesn’t mean the brush itself is no longer useful. I always have a few old toothbrushes on hand for things like brushing my eyebrows into place, or for cleaning hard to reach places around the house (think: scrubbing the shower grout, cleaning around the faucet, or reaching the tough spots in your juicer).
Before disposing of your brush, see if you might find a use for it somewhere else.
2. Responsible Disposal
Bamboo toothbrushes are made of three parts: the handle, the bristles, and aluminum staples that clamp the bristles to the handle.
Step 1: Remove The Bristles
Using pliers, pull out the bristles (it’s easier than it looks!)
One of the reasons why I love Brush With Bamboo toothbrushes is because the bristles are made from 100% Castor Bean Oil, which means they’re biobased (aka not made from fossil fuels) and they will eventually return to the soil. But since the time window for the bristles to breakdown is longer than 1 year, these should not be thrown into your compost. Instead, you should recycle them with TerraCycle, or with your residential recycling service.
Step 2: Recycle The Aluminum Staples
As you remove the bristles, you’ll notice that little metal squares will also fall out. These are aluminum staples that help hold the bristles in place. Even though aluminum will eventually break down through chemical reactions in the environment, it is a biodegradable material and should also be recycled with TerraCycle or with your local recycling services (Fun Fact: Aluminum is one of the most recycled materials. 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today!)
Step 3: Compost The Handle
Once you have removed all of the staples and bristles, the toothbrush handle (which is made from 100% bamboo) can be tossed into your backyard compost or commercial compost bin. From here, it will return to the soil within 6 months—how awesome is that??
Tip: If you’re a gardener, the handles also make for great plant markers.
If you’ve already swapped your toothbrush and are now looking for more ways to clean your oral care routine, here are some other plastic-free favorites of mine:
DIY Toothpaste Recipe – When I started my Zero Waste journey, toothpaste was one of the first items that I stopped buying. Toothpaste tubes are nearly impossible to recycle and will most likely end up in a landfill. Making your own toothpaste is so simple (takes no more than 2 minutes!), is almost always cheaper than buying new, and the ingredients are easy to find at almost any store: baking soda, organic coconut oil, and organic essential oils. Find my homemade recipe here.
Refillable Silk Floss – This dental lace is made with mulberry silk, and is coated in candelilla wax, which means that it is fully biodegradable after use. It’s also packaged in a glass container and is refillable when you’re done.
Mouthwash Tablets – These tablets help restore a healthy pH balance to your mouth, maintain good oral health, and freshen your breath—without any unnecessary water or packaging. All you have to do is dissolve 1 tablet into a little bit of water, and then voila, plastic free mouthwash!
Traveling with my toothbrush – Whenever I travel, I like to put my toothbrush into a reusable silicone bag. This helps keep the brush clean, and if you’re like me and toss your toothbrush into your toiletry bag immediately after brushing your teeth, it keeps the rest of your stuff dry.
Have you made the switch to bamboo? Or tried making your own toothpaste? These were two of the first Zero Waste switches I made, and I can never look back (and yes, I still have my teeth!).
