We all use deodorant to avoid a stinky situation, but all those tubes can present a disposal dilemma. What exactly are deodorant tubes made from? Can I recycle them? And what local options do I have? Earth911 gets to the bottom of these questions and more in our latest recycling mystery.

Can I recycle my deodorant tubes?

Answer: Yes.

How are Deodorant Tubes Recycled?

So, why are deodorant tubes difficult to recycle in the first place? In almost all cases, the tubes themselves are made purely from plastic. The only trouble is that it can be difficult for consumers to determine what kind of plastic their tubes are made from, making it tough to tell if their local recycler accepts the material.   Most deoderant tubes are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE or #2 plastic), low-density polyethylene (LDPE or #4 plastic) or polypropylene (PP orplastic #5), but materials may vary by brand. To make things even more complicated, many brands have a dial on the bottom of the tube that is made from a different plastic polymer than the rest of the container.