Stop Using Your Plastic Toothbrush

Stop Using Your Plastic Toothbrush

Plastic Pollution - Our Oceans

Plastic pollution in our oceans affects the majority of marine life, both on and off shore. Marine life affected ranges from the microscopic such as plankton to the enormous such as whales. Plastic pollution is getting worse, every year it is estimated that up to 13 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans, that is the equivalent of a truck load of plastic every minute.

Global plastic production and consumption is rising year on year, in 2013 alone 299 million tons of plastic were produced, which is a 4% increase from 2012. At current growth levels, it is estimated that the amount of plastic entering the ocean will be double that of 2015 when we reach the year 2025. By the year 2050 the amount will double again, so in 2050 there will be 4 truckloads of plastic entering our oceans every minute. This means that by the year 2050 there will actually be more plastic in our oceans than fish.

Plastic Pollution - Plastic Toothbrushes

Nearly every single toothbrush used is made of polypropylene plastic and nylon which are both non-recyclable and take up to a 1000 years to decompose. The average citizen of a developed country such as America will throw away around 300 toothbrushes during their lifetime, that is 90 billion toothbrushes just from Americans alone using current population figures.

Worldwide approximately 3.5 billion toothbrushes are sold annually which equates to 175 million pounds of plastic, as the materials used to make toothbrushes cannot be recycled, all that 175 million pounds of plastic per year ends up in either landfills or our oceans where it will remain for at least 1000 years. This just simply is not sustainable and that is for toothbrushes alone, it is even more horrific if you consider other plastic items too.

If over the period of 1000 years toothbrush consumption was to stay the same, by the time the first toothbrush decomposed there would be 175 billion pounds of plastic toothbrushes in landfill or our oceans. That is UK billions so 1750 billion pounds of plastic for you Americans out there.

Plastic Pollution - One Little Change Can Make a Huge Difference

If we all were to switch from plastic toothbrush to bamboo we would stop 175 million pounds of plastic being produced each year, that is a pretty big dent. Yes more needs to be done but that is not reason to not take any responsibility at all. We need to start with the little things as let's face it the World's governments are too slow to respond to the plastic crisis so it is up to us as individuals to take responsibility and change our ways.

So why do we suggest bamboo? Bamboo is a sort of sustainable wonder material, it grows up to 2 feet a day and is completely biodegradable and compostable, if you want to learn more about bamboo read our Benefits of Bamboo article.

Plastic Pollution - The Eco-Friendly Plastic Toothbrush Substitute

Do your bit to save the planet, together we can make a difference. Please stop buying plastic toothbrushes and buy one of these alternatives and spread the word! Tell your friends, families and colleagues. Social Media can be influential please like, share and comment.

Many bamboo toothbrushes out there use non-biodegradable, non-recyclable plastic nylon bristles, this 4 pack of bamboo toothbrushes are 100% Biodegradable produced from natural, sustainable bamboo with biodegradable bamboo charcoal bristles. The packaging is also completely biodegradable and Eco-Friendly.

Buy them or just have a browse here!

From feedback we have received, when buying for a family it is difficult to tell toothbrushes apart, we would advise to draw on the toothbrush handles with your initials or different colours. However if that is not a solution for your family, we are stocking multicoloured wheat straw plastic toothbrushes, if you have not heard of wheat straw plastic do not panic over the "P" word! Wheat straw plastic is 100% biodegradable.

Buy them or just have a browse here!

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