Now we get to the true complication on this planet of eco-friendly toothbrushes: bristles.
It’s not too troublesome to have a biodegradable toothbrush so far as the care for is anxious, however bristles usually get in one of many easiest methods of a toothbrush being fully compostable.
Furthermore, bear in mind that just about all gives (even as soon as they’re fabricated from plastic) will technically degrade after a while, however oftentimes it takes tons of of years.
Compostable gives are biodegradable, biodegradable gives aren’t primarily compostable. Fairly easy thought, appropriate?
Appropriately, not for some producers who fall a bristle quick and confuse the 2 and find yourself greenwashing.
My Plastic Free Life did some extra brushing (in a spherical movement, the reality is) to hunt out supposedly “biodegradable” nylon bristles have been the fact is not going to be biodegradable.
So what’s top-of-the-line strategies to brush?
Appropriately, we really solely have a couple of “zero waste” toothbrush picks:
1. Boar bristle toothbrushes:
Boar bristles would yield the one undoubtedly compostable toothbrushes in the intervening time obtainable to us—however brushing our tooth with pig hair sounds just like the worst option to get a present and minty mouth.
2. Castor bean toothbrushes:
Whereas castor bean (AKA Ricinus communis) is a flowering plant, the bristles made out of it aren’t regularly as healthful as they could sound.
Nylon-11 is what you get for many who topic castor bean oil to a superior (and chemically intensive) course of. Its biodegradability continues to be up contained in the air.
Some producers declare their castor bean oil bristles are dwelling compostable, some state they’re industrially compostable, and a few nonetheless place them on the rules of what to not compost and suggest recycling. We’re inclined to err on the protected facet and agree with the latter.
3. Miswak sticks:
This typical oral care software program program was in style in Pakistan, India, and components of Asia and Africa. Evaluation present that it’s as atmosphere pleasant (or maybe superior) to completely differing types of toothbrushes.
You may uncover quite a lot of sellers for these pure chew sticks on Etsy.