According to an article I read last summer, the bathroom is one place where many people tend to forget about reducing waste and recycling.
I get that - you dash to the loo just before you go out, finish the roll of paper, and even if you put a new one on the holder, you don't take the empty tube to be recycled - you drop it in the 'general' bathroom bin. You finish your bottle of shower gel or shampoo or tube of toothpaste., and do the same thing. And as for sanpro...
Now if you are really dedicated to zero waste, you are reading this and saying 'oh we use washable family cloths, not loo paper' or 'lush make shampoo bars, no need for packaging' or 'I brush with eco friendly products'. But most of us aren't quite ready for many of those changes yet.
Going ZeroWaste is a journey - and part of that is disposing of things carefully and not sending them to landfill once we have finished with them. There are a number of groups who can help us with this in the 'bathroom department'
Dental Products- Both Phillips and Colgate offer recycling programmes, collecting at dental practices across the country [ check here and here for your nearest drop off]
Make-Up - Maybelline are collecting empty make up containers [details here]...and these companies accept all brands, not just their own. This has to be a good idea.
Blister Packs - even if you are not on regular meds, like me, you may have ibuprofen or cold relief tabs in the bathroom cabinet. Take the empty packaging to Superdrug who will recycle and send the cash to Macmillan Cancer Care
Please comment if you have a top tip to share!
Thanks for that. I didn't know about the dental care or make-up products recycling.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is possible to drop off stuff to the dentist even if you're not going for an appointment
DeleteGreat post again. I automatically recycle the cardboard from toilet paper but DH tends to throw it into the bin! Too old to train. As for "family cloths" - yikes! I never dreamed such a system existed and I come from the days when the Radio Times was cut up and used! I wish we could have a proper bidet in every home including mine. Some countries are big on them and the people are shocked when they don't find them in other first world countries. I read your post on the panties for leaks, very helpful. Kegel exercises only go so far!
ReplyDeleteGood to know about Superdrug recycling blister packs. We've ditched shaving foam for shave bars. They last much longer. Home made soap and shampoo bars, eco loo roll etc. My hubby has switched to a traditional razor with replacement blades. I'll make the change once I've used my current stash of disposable razors. Which will take longer than planned as I just found another pack while decluttering.
ReplyDeleteI found a couple of unopened packs of razors when we moved. I put them in the "toiletries" bin at the Foodbank.
DeleteGreat tips! I count contact lenses as Bathroom so I will add that Terracycle have a collection scheme with selected opticians to recycle the lenses and th e packaging. Lots of mainstream brands offer bamboo toothbrushes at reasonable prices without having to visit a special shop- I got some Colgate and Wisdom ones from Wilko.
ReplyDeleteAlso, old toothbrushes can be saved and used as very useful cleaning implements. We use ours for bathroom cleaning. I also use eco-friendly cornstarch cloths (came from Waitrose) for cleaning in there as well as a loofah scrubber that came from an eco-shop.
I also add my hair that I collect when washing my hair to the compost.
To avoid the throwing of things you want to recycle, I have a container for the recyclables- so CBC knows to put his contact containers in a specific place in the bathroom.
Great ideas, thanks!
Brilliant tips Kezzie. I didn't know you could recycle contact lenses (but have passed all our old specs onto Sightsavers charity for years) thanks
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