Though bamboo is a fast-growing plant, it is mainly grown in Asia and transporting it outside of China will cause carbon emissions.
Introduction
Currently, bamboo toothbrushes become the symbol of a green lifestyle. We can find them everywhere in stores. Humans used toothbrushes for many years. Toothbrushes make the teeth firm and felt clean.
The early toothbrushes were made from pig hair. Many years later, plastic was found. Then, toothbrushes were manufactured having synthetic bristles called nylon. This is the end of today’s toothbrushes. However, as we all know plastic waste has many side effects on the planet.
Unlike plastic or nylon, bamboo is a renewable source and is a natural material. It grows fast and it is completely biodegradable. Therefore is a sustainable alternative of choice compared to plastic materials. Now do we have to replace our plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush? Are they better options in terms of reducing our environmental impact?
The advantages
Bamboo toothbrushes also have several advantages over plastic toothbrushes. For one, they are much softer on teeth and gums. This is because bamboo fibers are naturally smooth and thus a great material to use in toothbrush bristles. Additionally, they are often cheaper, making them accessible to a wide range of consumers.
The materials used for the current toothbrushes are made from plastics. Mainly the handle is made from polypropylene and the bristles are made from nylon. Nylon and polypropylene are both derived from fossil fuels. Continuing to use this product causes climate change.
Also, plastic and nylon are not biodegradable. Once they break down, they turned into small micro-plastics. It is estimated that 23 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away annually, considering humans replace these products every 3 months. Since the waste cannot be recycled easily, the toothbrushes ended up in landfills or waterways.
Bamboo is naturally based and it is a fast-growing plant. Bamboo can be harvested in 3 to 5 years due to the high speed at which the plants grow. It requires low water and can grow in many environments. In addition, bamboo has a lower carbon footprint compared to plastics.
Instead of taking hundreds of years to fully degrade, bamboo toothbrushes can be composted or even burned quickly. Though they may not be recycled in the traditional sense, they do not take up landfill space and therefore they reduce the overall amount of waste created. The handle of the bamboo toothbrushes can be composted in the relevant facility. The handle can be planted in the garden as well.
The disadvantages
In terms of sustainability, bamboo has some issues. For sure bamboo is much more environmentally friendly than plastics, however, this plant is mainly grown in Asia. Most of the bamboo toothbrushes are produced in China. Therefore, transporting this product outside of China will cause carbon emissions. Moreover, the high demand for bamboo means that more land in China is being used for this plant. This itself can change the ecosystem, which causes risks for the business.
The bristle of the bamboo toothbrushes is still a concern. The bristles are made from nylon (mainly Nylon-6 and Nylon-4) that are not biodegradable. This means that if you are going to put your bamboo toothbrushes into your composting facility, you need to remove their bristles.
The only bristles that are 100% biodegradable are those that are made from animal hair, usually pig hair. This is also debatable.
Should we buy bamboo toothbrushes?
Bamboo toothbrushes are a great alternative to plastic toothbrushes. Swapping to Bamboo toothbrushes can reduce your environmental impact, for sure. It is good that people tend to think about their daily product footprint. And it is good to start going green by replacing bathroom products.
Though there are some concerns about using bamboo toothbrushes as mentioned above, it is still a better alternative to plastic ones. At least, using them will stop manufacturing future plastic toothbrushes and clogging up the waste of plastic handles in landfills.
If you do not have access to bamboo toothbrushes, it is better if you can find reusable toothbrushes. This means that the head is rechargeable to minimise waste.
It is worth mentioning that bamboo toothbrushes does it have a major impact on climate change. This is because many other dominant factors are leading to carbon footprints such as transportation, eating habits and energy consumption. Therefore, it is recommended to start with those factors and then shift to replacing plastic products with eco-friendly goods.
Thanks for your great blog. I am using a bamboo toothbrush recently, but I am not sure when to replace it. Do you know how often should I replace my bamboo toothbrush?
Thanks for your comment Narin. Bamboo toothbrushes typically last around three to four months, just like a regular plastic toothbrush. It is important to replace your toothbrush frequently in order to keep a good oral hygiene routine.
Hello, I am from Turkey and have visited Iran lately. I am thinking of exporting this product to Iran. Do you think that bamboo toothbrushes are more expensive than plastic toothbrushes? Any clues?
Generally, bamboo toothbrushes are slightly more expensive than plastic toothbrushes. However, switching to a bamboo toothbrush is a great way to help the environment while still having an affordable option for your oral hygiene routine. In terms of exporting, you need to search more for the toothbrush market in Iran. Generally, Iranians buy their toothbrushes from pharmacies. So, it is better to start negotiating with them as they have more information about this market. Good Luck!