Toothpaste is vital for keeping our pearly whites clean and healthy, but there's a very dirty side to the oral hygiene industry. Due to their plastic and aluminium makeup, toothpaste tubes aren't easily recycled. This means that, in the U.S., around one billion end up in the landfill every year. But Colgate, the world's leading toothpaste brand, is launching new recyclable tubes that could reduce this number significantly. Colgate-Palmolive, the multinational consumer goods company that owns Colgate, has been attempting to improve the environmental impact of its popular toothpaste tubes for more than five years. In 2021, it launched its first recyclable option, made from high density polyethylene (HDPE), in Colgate's vegan Smile for Good range, first launched in the UK and Europe. (It's worth noting here, however, that the brand is not certified cruelty-free.)