Canadian consumers now have a better choice for cleaner teeth and a cleaner planet thanks to a new line of vegetable based dental products from Clean Idea™. The new EcoBrushes™ and EcoFlossers™ are North America’s first biodegradable toothbrushes and flossers made from corn, wheat, tapioca and potatoes which are designed to decompose into organic material.
The handles of all Clean Idea dental products are made with a patented 100% compostable bio-resin which meets international standards for bioplastics and compostability (BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute), ASTM 6400D99, ASTM 6868, EN13432). The resins will biodegrade within 180 days in a commercial compost facility. Unlike petroleum based plastics, even when thrown into regular garbage, Clean Idea products will eventually decompose into organic material.
“With Earth Day on April 22nd, and April being National Oral Health Month, we want to let Canadians know there’s a new eco-friendly product on the market that gives consumers an opportunity to make a difference,” said Jane Nicol, Marketing Director of Clean Idea. “Using Clean Idea toothbrushes and flossers is one easy thing people can do to lessen the negative impact plastic waste is having on our planet.”
Even relatively small items like plastic toothbrushes and flossers made from petroleum-based materials are adding to the mounting waste in landfills and oceans around the world and contributing to increased greenhouse gases. According to recommendations from the Canadian Dental Association, consumers should replace their toothbrushes every three months, which means Canadians are disposing as many as 134 million toothbrushes annually. Globally, the number of plastic toothbrushes in landfills could reach as many as 24 billion in one year if every person on the planet followed the recommendations.
The current line of Clean Idea dental products includes EcoBrushes and EcoFlossers for both children and adults, plus EcoMirrors™ for use by dentists. Products are available in London Drugs stores throughout Western Canada, and at Shoppers Drug Mart stores nationally. All products are also available online at cleanideadental.com and online retailers like lavishandlime.com and amazon.com.
In celebration of Earth Day and National Oral Health Month, Clean Idea street teams will be giving away thousands of EcoBrushes and EcoFlossers on the streets of Vancouver, in addition to a promotional offer for $2.00 off Clean Idea products on the Clean Idea website.
About Clean Idea
Clean Idea products are made by Locin Industries, Ltd., a family-owned and operated business from North Vancouver, BC. The company has been in business for more than 35 years, distributing and manufacturing other personal care products. Locin is now run by sisters Jane Nicol and Sue Collins, whose parents started the company, and their husbands Brad Collins & Andrew Horembala. Locin began sourcing material for a biodegradable toothbrush in 2006, after receiving an email from an eight year-old Canadian boy who said he wished they could make flossers with less plastic.
Source
Clean Idea, press release, 2011-04-18.
Supplier
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
Clean Idea
Locin Industries, Ltd.
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