Can You Recycle Single-Use Floss Picks?

• Thomas Nelson
• January 3, 2022
• Sustainable Living
• 0 Comments

There’s a saying that I live by – only floss the teeth you want to keep. But there’s another saying worth living by too – only pollute the planet you don’t want to live on. Alright, maybe that’s a little clumsy, but the point is: we should be able to floss and do right by the planet too. Not creating a bunch of pointless garbage should be a priority for any environmentally minded people. Recycling single-use items is a good thing to do, but can you recycle single-use floss picks?

In this article, we’ll dig into the issue and find out whether or not you can recycle these tiny dental tools.

What are floss picks made of?

To understand whether or not an item can be recycled, it helps to know what it’s made of. Single-use floss picks are comprised of a hard, plastic handle and pick and a piece of floss held in place by the pick’s top end. Most dental floss is made from nylon, which is a very low-friction type of plastic that makes for a comfortable flossing experience. An additional wax coating goes over the nylon floss in order to make the floss even more comfortable for the user.

Read More: How To Live Without Toilet Paper For Good

Can you recycle single-use floss picks?

Everyone knows that some plastics can be recycled, but what many don’t realize is that even recyclable plastics are rendered useless at the recycling plant when they are combined with a non-recyclable element. At this time, nylon is not an accepted type of plastic at most recycling facilities. This means that no, you cannot recycle your single-use floss picks.

Even if you dislodge the nylon floss from the pick itself, it will still likely not be accepted by the recycling facility that processes your recyclables. Your modified, nylon-free floss pick will simply be thrown in the trash.

Eco friendly floss alternatives

So floss picks are a definite no-go for the environmentally and dentally aware consumer. Is just regular old floss much better? In short: yes, dental floss alone is better than dental floss picks. But floss still has to be thrown in the garbage – the wax-coated nylon floss used in most commercially available floss cartridges cannot be recycled or composted. So what does that leave us with?

If you’re an earthy type who considers healthy teeth and gums a high priority, your best bet to going eco-friendly with your flossing habits is all-natural, biodegradable silk dental floss. This floss is coated with all natural candelilla wax and the silk itself is typically sustainably harvested. Most companies that manufacture silk floss use what’s called “peace silk,” which is silk that does not harm caterpillars during its manufacture.

What is yet to be determined is how much time it takes for this biodegradable floss to degrade.

There are a few companies that offer biodegradable floss – we don’t endorse any one product in particular. We suggest doing a little bit of product research and finding the eco-friendly biodegradable floss for you.

Keep Reading: 5 Eco-Friendly Toothbrush Brands