Tom's of Maine has announced that it has started shipping a “first-of-its-kind” recyclable toothpaste tube recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers.

The tube is designed to be compatible with the #2 HDPE plastic stream. Tom's of Maine Antiplaque & Whitening Peppermint Natural Toothpaste will be the first to be housed in the new tube.

All full-size Tom's of Maine toothpastes will feature the new recyclable tube by the end of 2020.
 
According to Tom’s, until now, toothpaste tubes haven't been recyclable because most are made of a mixed material that doesn't have a second life and has to be landfilled. The #2 plastic continues to have a strong recycling stream and is the same material used in most laundry detergent bottles. The new Tom's of Maine recyclable tube is designed to be "circular," so that the material can be re-processed into new products and packaging.
 
"We're thrilled to offer a first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube that's been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers, which sets the standard for North America. There is no oral care or personal care tube on the market with this APR recognition," said Esi Seng, general manager at Tom's of Maine. "We're already hard at work engaging with The Recycling Partnership and their network to communicate with recycling centers and win their acceptance of our recyclable tube. We're proud to be blazing a trail for other toothpaste brands to follow," Seng added.
 
To recycle the tube at home, people should check the back of their tube for the blue "flag" that tells you what to do: once empty, replace cap and recycle with #2 plastics.

Tom's of Maine tubes without the blue flag haven't yet transitioned to the new recyclable material.

Recycling practices vary by municipality and if a town doesn't accept #2 plastic, the Tom's of Maine Natural Care Recycling Program, a partnership with TerraCycle, is a recommended option for recycling all personal and oral care packaging regardless of the brand.