Unilever Introduces Recyclable HDPE Toothpaste Tubes

Unilever has developed recyclable toothpaste tubes for its oral-care brands, including Signal, Pepsodent, and Closeup, and plans to convert its entire global toothpaste portfolio to recyclable tubes by 2025. Traditionally, most toothpaste tubes are made from a combination of plastic and aluminum, which gives the packaging its flexibility but also makes it difficult to recycle. Instead of aluminum, the new tubes will use a material made mostly of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), one of the most widely recycled plastics globally. It will also be the thinnest plastic material available on the toothpaste market at 22 microns, which will reduce the amount of plastic needed for each tube. To encourage wider industry change, the innovation will be made available for other companies to adopt, explained Unilever.