Keeping your face or legs smooth is about to become a lot more guilt-free. Oh, you didn’t think twice when using your straight-razor about the effects on the planet? Seriously, we get it. You often think that because these things are made with metal, they’ll likely be recyclable, right?   Unfortunately, that is not the case. Razor Blades are problematic when it comes to recycling because they consist of multiple materials that are hard to separate, and it means that almost 2 billion get thrown away every year in the US alone. According to the EPA, it takes about 1000 years for these to degrade.   The solution to zero waste shaving is, don’t! However, unless you live in Bushwick or a hippie commune, never shaving again may not be a viable solution.

Thankfully, one of the largest razor blade companies has launched the beginning stages of a solution along with innovative waste management company, TerraCycle. The two companies have come together to announce that in Canada, replaceable-blade cartridge units and razor plastic packaging are recyclable on a national scale.   “Through this innovative, first of its kind program, disposable razors, replaceable-blade cartridge units and their associated packaging are now nationally recyclable through the Gillette Recycling Program,” said TerraCycle CEO and founder Tom Szaky. “We are proud to partner with this forward-thinking company to offer consumers a way to divert razor waste from landfills.”   The companies are offering two options for those who would like to dispose of their razor blades in an environmentally-friendly way. For those wishing to recycle razors from home, they're invited to sign up on the program page. When ready to ship their waste, they download a free TerraCycle shipping label, package the razors in a secure, puncture-proof package and send it to TerraCycle for recycling.

Another option brings the community into the fold. They've invited Businesses, gyms, colleges, cities, and community organizations to become public drop-off points for the Gillette Razor Recycling Program. Participants interested in becoming a drop-off point need only sign up on the program page. After acceptance to the program, they get sent an exclusive razor recycling bin developed by TerraCycle and Gillette.   Once full, they can seal and return the bin to TerraCycle via UPS, and a new one will come back to them. The address listed on the account is then publicly posted on an available map of local recycling solutions for the Gillette Razor Recycling Program page.   The move towards building out infrastructure to allow the community to be a part of the solution to recycling is a principle tenant of designing for a circular economy. Razors are a huge culprit when it comes to filling our landfills, and with the move towards programs that make it simple for people to recycle, the closer we are to solving the problem.