How to discard toothpaste tube?
They are always present in our daily lives and become an environmental problem if not properly disposed of
Our toothpaste tube each day is made up of 75% plastic and 25% aluminum, which is a big environmental problem if everyone throws these packages in the common garbage (ending in landfills). However, luckily for us, recycling is possible.
The tubes can be used for selective collection in the plastic part, as they are predominantly composed of such material. Specialized companies and cooperatives separate the elements. When disposing of them, make sure that the tube has the least amount of waste possible so that it does not contaminate the water in the place where the treatment will take place. And always dispose of everything with the lid, which guarantees even more the non-contamination of the water when washing the materials (see here the properties of the toothpaste).
In addition to the tube, the toothpaste packaging comes wrapped in a box, which must be discarded on the paper part - the toothpaste boxes have the function of protecting the product, so that it is not damaged. It is interesting to check if this box comes with the FSC certificate (Forest Stewardship Council), which indicates that it comes from well-managed forests, controlled sources and recycled wood. Some markets even allow the customer to take home only the dental tube, discarding the paper box at the retailer. There are also toothpastes that are sold without the box.
Role in construction
It is always good to know where the waste you send for recycling will end up and what it becomes. In the case of toothpaste tubes, you can find them in building material stores in the form of ecological tiles, sinks, benches and even in the form of objects for offices, tables and chairs.
In the case of tiles, they have the advantage that, in addition to being 100% recyclable, they also have the characteristics of not breaking, not absorbing water, having high flexibility and fire resistance, being thermal insulators (they leave the house 25% cooler in the than the problematic and controversial asbestos tiles), do not mold, among other advantages.
To make a tile of just over two meters, approximately 700 tubes of toothpaste are needed. In the process of transforming the tube into a tile, there is no type of residue or atmospheric pollutant, as the material is used in full and there is no burning. The process takes place as follows: after being ground, the tube is placed in trays and pressed at a temperature of 180°C; then the material is cut.
In addition, you can also transform the toothpaste tube into something different by making a upcycle - one possibility is to transform it into purses (see step by step here).
