Colgate has finalised the design of a first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube that sets a new standard in the industry.
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) last week announced its recognition of the new tube, an essential step in bringing it to the public.
The Colgate is the first oral care or personal care tube to earn APR recognition for recyclability.
Under development for more than five years, the tube will debut under the company’s Tom’s of Maine brand in the USA in 2020, before a roll out to select global markets under the Colgate brand.
The company plans to fully convert to recyclable tubes by 2025, when all its products will be in 100 per cent recyclable packaging.
Justin Skala, Executive Vice President, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer for Colgate-Palmolive, said: “Building a future to smile about means finding new packaging solutions that are better for the planet, but until now there hasn’t been a way to make toothpaste tubes part of the recycling stream.”
“Once we’ve proven the new tube with consumers, we intend to offer the technology to the makers of plastic tubes for all kinds of products. By encouraging others to use this technology, we can have an even bigger impact and increase the long-term market viability of this solution.”