How to Recycle Your Toothbrush

Most of them, 97 percent, are made of plastic. We should reduce or eliminate this type of plastic. On the other hand, it's unthinkable to give up using a toothbrush, which is essential for good oral hygiene. According to a fairly comprehensive study, each family throws away 11 kilos of toothbrushes every year. This enormous figure is calculated by calculating Italians' consumption of this product, which is generally replaced no later than four months after its lifespan. This waste is a total waste, as it is a completely non-recyclable product and poses a high risk of pollution (traces of it are found, even in the form of microplastics, first of all at sea). Yet think that the old toothbrush becomes invaluable for cleaning complex things, from a computer keyboard to a cheese grater.

Index of topics

How to recycle your toothbrush

Here are many ideas, even curious ones, for reuse the old toothbrush with imagination and originality:

1) To begin with, the toothbrush is a great solution for the cleaning of hob, especially if there are encrustations that are difficult to remove.

2) Did you know that your toothbrush can turn into a a great kitchen toolUse it to clean the shells of mollusks (especially mussels). It allows you to thoroughly clean the jagged surfaces of mussels and clams, perfectly removing all impurities.

3) And always in the kitchen, but also in bathroom, use the old toothbrush to clean the tile joints.

4) Similarly, use the toothbrush to make the shine taps of bathroom and kitchen.

5) Use it also for clean the filter dishwasher.

6) And don't forget that the toothbrush is also an excellent remedy for cleaning of the Jewelry.

7) And again: try using the toothbrush for the teeth too shoe cleaning.

8) The toothbrush can also become an original colored brush For small dolls: children will be thrilled to have a custom-made comb for their dolls, completely free. It's also a great opportunity to teach them the importance of recycling and reusing materials.

9) And what about using the old toothbrush as a painting toolIt's so much fun. It's also a great way to entertain the kids.

10) If you use a bamboo toothbrush, remove all the bristles and then use the handle as a label for thegardenSimply write the names of the different plants on them. An original, creative, and low-cost way to personalize your garden.

How much pollution does a toothbrush produce?

Franklin Associates for the Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council, starting from an average weight of 25 grams for a toothbrush, calculated that, once it becomes waste, it emits 34 grams of greenhouse gases. Bearing in mind that it is an object made almost entirely of non-recyclable plastic. If you multiply the figure by greenhouse gases emitted, with the number of toothbrushes used and thrown away every day around the world, you have an idea of how dangerous and polluting this object is.

Where does it go

The toothbrush, and also its cap (also made of plastic), are not classified as packaging. And so they go in the unsorted garbage. If the toothbrush is electric, and there is no way to repair it, the head goes in the unsorted garbage, like all toothbrushes, while the handle, which contains the battery, is in all respects a electronic waste.

How to use it correctly

Toothbrushing should be used with a few simple precautions to ensure effective hygiene and avoid wasting toothbrushes.Here you find all the useful details.

Toothbrushes: 10 Ways to Recycle Them