Tom's of Maine has added a new, 24-hour deodorant to its line of vegetable-based health care products, marking the first time the company has used recycled content in its polypropylene packaging, and the first time it has made a deodorant tube that is completely made up of one type of plastic.
In most cases, the outer shell of a deodorant packaging is a different type of plastic than the pieces inside of the tube that hold the deodorant stick in place and push it up, making recycling of the packaging difficult.
Tom's of Maine's new packaging is completely made up of one plastic type - polypropylene - identified by the number 5. The packaging also contains from 40-70 percent recycled content, from industrial waste sources. Although the entirety of the packaging is recyclable, number 5 packaging has a long way to go before it is as widely recycled as the more-common number 1 and 2 plastics.
But luckily in this case, some companies are making headway in getting more number 5 plastic recycled and reused. Many
Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S. collect number 5 plastics for
Preserve, a company that makes kitchen, bathroom and other household products out of recycled number 5 plastic.
Tom's of Maine products are also sold at Whole Foods, so consumers who frequent Whole Foods stores that participate in the
Gimme 5 program will be able to easily drop off empty Tom's tubes. Those who don't can still
mail the packaging, and any other number 5 plastic, directly to Preserve.
