NATIONAL REPORT—Travelers never always pack perfectly. Oftentimes that one thing that is forgotten is a toothbrush. There is a very good chance you will hand that guest a cheap single-use plastic toothbrush that will end up in the landfill where it will leak toxic substances into the environment as it breaks down. According to National Geographic, toothbrush waste from the U.S. in just one year is enough to wrap around the earth four times. If Americans change their toothbrushes every three or four months, that is one billion toothbrushes on their way to the landfill or elsewhere, including our oceans.
In recent years many companies have tried to develop the most environmentally friendly toothbrush—many of which are made with bamboo. The truth is that none has reached perfection because toothbrushes typically include a handle, bristles made from nylon, and usually a metal staple. There is no collection stream for toothbrushes.
“What is ironic about plastic and bamboo toothbrushes is they both end up in landfills and don’t biodegrade,” says Saskia Coleman, CEO of Radius, a maker of dental products including toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and other items.
Coleman told Green Lodging News that the best thing is to start with a sustainable toothbrush and not throw it away. For a hotelier, that may mean paying more but the rewards are significant—no toothbrush waste to landfill, an opportunity to customize the product, an opportunity to tie in messaging about your property’s green efforts, and a superior guest experience, especially for the tens of millions of travelers who care about sustainability.
A Replaceable Head
In the case of Radius, its toothbrushes are all made with recycled plastics, wood, and bamboo—even upcycled hemp. Each comes with a replaceable head so that the life of the handle can be extended indefinitely. The handle and replaceable head include an additive to help them break down faster once they reach the landfill. Radius toothbrushes are available for lefties and righties and come with their own case.
“Guests are not going to throw away a perfectly good toothbrush,” Coleman says. “They can keep it for a long time. We design them to be very luxurious and the brush is angled a bit to be ergonomically efficient. With their larger bristle area, they massage your gums, too.” A typical toothbrush can easily create receding gums, bleeding gums, and enamel erosion.
Coleman says a major problem with toothbrushes and other items made cheaply is the business model creates demand for more and more product as consumers need to buy replacements. “They want you to buy another one,” she says. “They don’t think about sustainability.”
To get even closer to making her company’s toothbrushes even more sustainable, Radius is exploring using plant-based material more often.
Other Examples of Non-traditional Toothbrushes
WooBamboo offers bamboo toothbrushes and as a company is now “Certified Plastic Negative.” It donates to rePurpose Global. That organization removes plastic waste from highly polluted environments all around the globe. WooBamboo has committed to help fund the recovery of plastic waste equivalent to two times its brand’s plastic footprint.
Brush with Bamboo toothbrushes are made with bamboo with USDA Certified 100 percent biobased bristles. The bristles are made with no fossil fuel.
Boie USA toothbrushes are plastic, but the company has a takeback program for its brushes.
Preserve toothbrushes are created with 100 percent recycled #5 plastic (yogurt cups). The company has a toothbrush recycling program, and the company is Climate Neutral Certified.
Bite offers a bamboo toothbrush that has a replaceable head. Bristles are made with Castor Bean Oil.
When considering an alternative to the single-use plastic toothbrush for your hotel, you will find that suppliers have been just as mindful about the packaging in which their product is offered.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
