Colgate lanza una innovadora iniciativa en beneficio del medio ambiente para promover, a nivel nacional, la recolección, el reciclaje y reutilización de tubos de crema dental, cepillos de dientes y los empaques primarios de ambos. En el marco de su estrategia institucional de sustentabilidad, Colgate inició su programa de “Brigadas de Cuidado Bucal Colgate” en alianza con TerraCycle, empresa dedicada a la recolección, reconversión y reciclaje de materiales sólidos. Una “Brigada de Cuidado Bucal Colgate” es un equipo de recolección a través del cual se acopiarán tubos de crema dental vacíos, cepillos de dientes usados y los empaques primarios de ambos para ser enviados a TerraCycle quien les dará una segunda vida a través del reciclaje o la conversión a nuevos productos revalorados. Por cada unidad recolectada, Colgate donará $0.25 centavos de peso a la escuela u organización de la sociedad civil seleccionada por cada “Brigada de Cuidado Bucal Colgate”.

Though recycling is not a new trend, many people are unaware that most objects are un-recyclable. This means that the traditional recycling method is too costly and inefficient to properly break down items such as chip bags, juice boxes, shampoo bottles, yogurt containers, candy wrappers, pens, butter tubs, and more. TerraCycle is a breakthrough company that intends to recycle the formerly un-recyclable. Now, anyone can sign up for the TerraCycle campaigns and send in their trash to be converted into new products. The best part, besides doing something good for Mother Nature, is the money anyone can receive from TerraCycle for donating their trash. The company reports to collect one million juice pouches every two to three days and returns $0.02 per pouch to the donator. By collecting and sending items that would normally end up in the trash, sewer, or ocean, they are able to help create products such as park benches, messenger bags and backpacks, fences, picture frames, just to name a few of more than 260 products feature on their website. TerraCycle does not actually make new products, but instead acts as a supplier to manufacturing companies that would normally use virgin material.