Make something wonderful
You'll be amazed what you can make from a toothpaste tube.
Make something wonderful
You'll be amazed what you can make from a toothpaste tube.
Recycling material from toothpaste tubes
A Unilever toothpaste factory in Vinhedo, south-east Brazil, is using waste material to make furniture and building materials. The initiative has reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by 17 tonnes a year.
Production & consumer waste recycling
When a toothpaste tube is sealed, a small amount of plastic and metal is cut off and discarded. Unilever HPC Latin America has been working with recycling companies to find new uses for this waste. The recycling companies process the waste material which is then used to make floor tiles, roofing sheets, tables and chairs. Consumers can also recycle their used toothpaste tubes through community recycling stations set up by Unilever Brazil.
Benefiting people, saving money & the environment
The initiative has generated around 100 jobs in recycling and helped the Vinhedo factory save money on waste disposal. The factory has also introduced other environmental improvements such as returning packaging to suppliers for recycling and reducing liquid effluent. Today 98% of all solid waste generated at the factory is recycled.
Packaging is an integral part of the product and the first point of direct contact with the brand for the consumer.
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