__large.png)
SYDNEY [AUSTRALIA], 28 SEPTEMBER 2021: Oral-B, the number one toothbrush brand recommended by dentists worldwide1, announces the launch of DROP SWAP SMILE – a nationwide initiative launched with Veolia and Shaver Shop that gives Australians a new way to dispose of their used toothbrushes more sustainably.
Launching this week in-store and online via Shaver Shop, Australia’s largest retailer of premium electric toothbrushes, DROP SWAP SMILE aims to reduce the amount of manual and electric toothbrushes that end up in landfill. The pilot program will run for a period of 3 months.
Zulfiqar Mahar, Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Operations at P&G ANZ, said: “Every year, millions of toothbrushes are tossed in the garbage bin because they can’t be recycled at home through regular kerbside recycling. That’s millions of toothbrushes that are making their way to landfill.”
“At Oral-B, we want to help people protect the planet, as well as their smiles, which is why we’re proud to be partnering with Veolia to launch our DROP SWAP SMILE initiative. Backed by Veolia’s expertise in e-waste recycling and innovative end-of-life solutions, DROP SWAP SMILE gives Australians a new way to dispose of their old toothbrushes and divert them from landfill.”
Australians can participate in DROP SWAP SMILE by dropping their old toothbrushes in specially designed collection bins found at Shaver Shop stores around Australia2. Those who shop online can also get involved with a DROP SWAP SMILE envelope and pre-paid postage label offered with every purchase an Oral-B product via shavershop.com.au3.
The following used items will be accepted and processed via the program, regardless of brand:
• Manual toothbrushes
• Electric toothbrush handles, chargers, and brush heads
Participants are asked to thoroughly wash the items beforehand to help ensure the waste stream remains clean, so the items are eligible for processing and recycling.
Ross Drummett, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Veolia, said: “Toothbrushes are considered hard-to-recycle because they require dedicated sorting processes to separate and treat the materials they're made of. As household collections don’t allow for this, it’s crucial that Australia adopts innovative disposal schemes that capture hard-to-recycle items separately, where they can be recycled and treated properly, instead of ending up in landfills.”
“Working closely with Oral-B and Shaver Shop, our team of experts will collect, sort and process used toothbrushes, ensuring their parts are either recycled or diverted from landfill. The individual efforts of consumers who use this program will make a big collective difference. We hope that many people get involved and join us on the journey towards ecological transformation.”
Customer Experience at Shaver Shop, said “We are excited to be involved with the launch of this initiative, helping our customers to reduce their contribution to landfill. The ability to provide this initiative to customers both in-store and online is something we are pleased to be able to offer through our partnership with Oral-B and Veolia.”
Part of the P&G family, Oral-B is working towards the company’s Ambition 2030 targets. This includes driving a more circular economy with the goal of helping prevent plastic waste and other packaging from finding its way into the ocean, by collaborating with local partners like Veolia and committing to global efforts as part of The Alliance to End Plastic Waste. Making packaging more sustainable is also a focus, as the company works towards the goal of making 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2030.
Mahar explained: “As a global leader in oral care, we have a responsibility to help transform people’s health while also reducing our impact on the planet.”
“Our new DROP SWAP SMILE initiative is just one way we are taking action to reduce our environmental lifecycle impact and we’re excited to work together with our partner Veolia, Shaver Shop, and the community to achieve this. It’s collaborative efforts like these that will help enable people, the planet and our business to thrive.”
The new Oral-B DROP SWAP SMILE initiative starts on 20 September 2021. Australians that ‘drop’ their old toothbrush and ‘swap’ it for a new Oral-B electric toothbrush can ‘smile’ knowing they have helped divert waste from landfill whilst also enjoying the many benefits of Oral-B’s leading, dentist-inspired power oral care range, including up to 100% more plaque removal5.
__small.png)
