How do you recycle used toothbrushes?

I’m excited to announce that we are a Terracycle/Colgate Oral Care Recycling Drop-off spot in Sunnyvale, CA!

Recently, I was lucky enough to meet Mr Tim Oey.  A Sunnyvale neighbor that has lots of tips on how to do your part for the environment by being more mindful of waste.

I had always assumed a  universal recycling symbol on a material meant the plastic was recyclable.  In fact, it only identifies the type of plastic to help recyclers to sort!  Ultimately,  the recyclability of the material depends on the equipment available at your domestic curbside collection or industrial collections.

Unfortunately, Sunnyvale and many local waste facilities are not able to process toothbrushes, toothpaste, or floss containers. Many of us optimistically place these items into our recycle bins, however, they are ultimately  sent off the landfill as trash as our trash agency is not able to process these resins.

Luckily, Tim has found a fantastic partnership between TerraCycle and Colgate that allows for folks to ship in these items for free so that they can be properly processed. We have set up a collection bin, so feel free to drop off your used toothbrushes, empty toothpaste and floss containers and even their packaging!  As an aside, Colgate donates towards the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail for every shipment over 2 pounds that we collect.

P.S. If you’re interested in hearing more about how to save energy and reduce waste while saving money, please check out Tim’s upcoming talk on October 10, 2016,  at 7 PM at Fellowship Hall, Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church, 728 West Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale.

P.P.S. If you have concerns on what we can accept for recycling, please contact dr@jenchiang.com or call the office at 408.523.4030.