Waste in the bathroom Seven tips on how to avoid it
Our rituals in the bathroom are accompanied by numerous products that bring a lot of plastic waste with them. According to the EPA, the average American produces around 1700 pounds of waste per year. You can reduce this waste considerably – even in the bathroom. Take a look here at seven of our best tips for less waste in the bathroom.
Tip 1 – Deodorant
Plastic waste is the greatest problem in the bathroom. But it can often be avoided providing you choose the right products. Why stick to a deo spray for example? They usually come in either a metal or plastic container. But you don’t really need a spray. Cream deodorants are an ideal alternative. They usually come in a glass container or a metal tin that can be reused.
Tip 2 – Toothbrush
Usually, the handle of a toothbrush is made of plastic and the bristles are made of nylon, another type of plastic. Dentists recommend you change your toothbrush every three months. That means four toothbrushes a year per person. In turn, that translates to millions of toothbrushes a year. If you buy a bamboo toothbrush instead, you avoid plastic waste. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing raw materials on the planet – it can grow up to three feet in height within just one day.
Tip 3 – Toothpaste
Conventional toothpaste usually comes in a plastic container – and at the end of the day you can never get everything out of the tube. Really a no-go. But there is a new alternative that is offering zero waste: the toothpaste tablet. You put the tablet in your mouth, chew it until a light foam appears, and then brush your teeth with a toothbrush as usual.
Tip 4 – Soap
Just a few decades ago, a bar of soap was a standard in bathrooms. Today, liquid soap is all the rage, replacing the good old bar of soap. And liquid soap usually comes in a plastic bottle. Solid soap usually comes in paper packaging, and it is actually relatively easy to make your own soap at home. A simple way to say goodbye to another plastic product in the bathroom.
Tip 5 – Shampoo
There is also a plastic-free alternative for your hair. Instead of using conventional shampoo out of a plastic bottle, use solid shampoo when you take a shower. It looks like a normal bar of soap and is really easy to use: you rub the bar between damp hands to produce some foam. You use that to lather your hair and then rinse it off with water as usual. And you have banished yet another waste product made of plastic from the bathroom.
Tip 6 – Sanitary pads and tampons
Female menstrual hygiene is waste-intensive. In their lives, women need on average between 10,000 and 17,000 tampons and sanitary pads. But instead of using the standard disposable products, women could start using menstrual cups. These cups are usually made of medical silicone, a type of plastic. But they can be cleaned after use and then used time and again. In a best-case scenario, a menstrual cup can last for years.
Tip 7 – Toilet paper
Many rituals in the bathroom are set in stone for many people. For some, for example, it is absolutely inconceivable that they would clean their bottom with anything other than paper. And yet a bidet seat is a far more hygienic alternative. Washing any dirty parts with water is a much cleaner method and also saves on toilet paper. So it’s certainly worth thinking about changing your routine in the toilet.
