Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.
The bathroom is full of recyclable products, but many people overlook this area of the house. A recent study conducted in partnership with the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies found that nearly 60 percent of people who said they rarely or never recycle bathroom products reported a lack of awareness as the reason. Read on to improve your bathroom recycling and to learn about the many items in this space — from shampoo and lotion bottles to toilet paper rolls — that can widely be recycled.
Check with your local municipality to see what materials are accepted curbside in your area. You can also use our Recycling Search to find locations near you for drop-off. In general, plastic bottles marked #1 or #2 (shampoo, lotion, mouthwash), bandage boxes, tissue boxes, and toilet paper rolls are likely to be accepted. On the other hand, toothpaste tubes, pumps from bottles, dental floss containers, and toothbrushes are less likely to be accepted, but many of these items have mail-in programs you can use.
It helps to get as much shampoo out as possible, but a quick rinse is fine — don’t worry about squeezing out every last drop.
In general, you don’t have to scrape the labels off the bottles in order to recycle them. Use the same practices you would for a water bottle, juice bottle or milk jug.
This is usually treated the same way as plastic bags, which are often accepted at major retailers and other drop-off locations, but not in curbside pickups.
Consider adding a recycling bin to your bathroom — the 2016 Recycling in the Home Survey, supported by Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, found that while 70 percent of Americans report keeping a bin in the kitchen, only 20 percent have one in the bathroom. The lack of a bin was cited as a big barrier to recycling, so take the simple step to add one in this important spot.
Yes! Recycling saves energy and space in landfills. Plus, the more materials that are recycled, the more companies can create their products out of recycled materials, ultimately saving resources and helping the environment.