When it comes to the conversation surrounding waste, there is one common form of waste that seems to fly under the radar: toothbrushes. That, however, doesn’t mean toothbrush waste isn’t a serious issue. It’s estimated that around 1,000,000,000 toothbrushes head to the landfill annually in the US, with most of those being made from plastic.
The good news is some passionate designers from London have decided to develop a sustainable option to divert waste from landfills. They call it Tooth, a last-for-a-lifetime toothbrush handle with replaceable heads. Unlike the 98 percent of toothbrushes that are not biodegradable, the Tooth replacement heads will break down. The main portion of the brush head is made from locally sourced sugar beets that have been turned into Floreon. The bristles are made from Nylon 4. Both products are 100 percent biodegradable.
As for the handle, it’s made of recycled aluminum, a durable metal that eliminates the need to create virgin aluminum and the carbon emissions that come with it. The handles are also 100 percent recyclable when they are no longer useful.
Tooth is a fully-funded Kickstarter campaign, and by joining their subscription, you will receive a replacement head directly to your house every three months—which is how often dentists recommend that you change your toothbrush.
