Bamboo Toothbrushes

Pharmacies in Paris are now selling bamboo toothbrushes as a means of reducing plastic ones.

It is estimated that 3.6 billion toothbrushes are used every year, with roughly 80% of them ending up in the sea after being discarded. Each toothbrush can take up to a thousand years to decompose, say environmental scientists.

Biodegradable toothbrush options are now becoming more available. There may be a trade-off in quality if you opt for one with biodegradable bristles because many are made from animal hair which can hold bacteria. But there are toothbrushes with bamboo handles (such as Humble Brush and Denti Smile Toothbrush) and recyclable nylon bristle heads (such as the Fete Bamboo Toothbrush).

MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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