Recycling an electric toothbrush isn’t all that easy.
The main problem is the handle itself and in particular, the battery it has built inside.
If your Oral-B electric toothbrush is no longer working, it is possible to remove the battery and try and recycle the parts separately.
Typically, the best approach has been to take the used toothbrush to a local recycling centre where there is often a place for small household electronics to be safely disposed of.
However, there is now another option.
You can send your Oral-B electric toothbrush and Oral-B SmartGuide (if you own one) to the company’s UK based service partner.
Olympic Shaver Centre are the appointed agent in the UK that handles the repair and replacement of toothbrushes that fail within a typical warranty period.
However, as part of their service offering, it is now possible to return used toothbrushes, and their charging stands to them.
This includes those that are no longer functional or at the end of its working life.
All you need do, is package the toothbrush and charging stand up and send it to the following address:
Olympic Shaver Centre,
FAO The Recycling Team
Units 19-20 Calverton Business Park,
Hoyle Rd, Calverton,
Nottingham,
NG14 6QL
Once received the toothbrush will be passed onto a specialist recycling company.
This programme is for Oral-B products only. Other brands of toothbrush are not accepted.
This facility is offered primarily for products that are no longer functional.
It is possible to send a working toothbrush to them for recycling, for example, if you are just upgrading. But, if you are going to do this, do consider whether you know anyone else who could benefit from your old toothbrush handle (not the brush head) before sending it for recycling.
The cost of shipping the toothbrush is your responsibility.
Please do ensure it is packaged correctly. Do to check with the company you are shipping it via as to their rules about shipping products like this. In some cases, batteries are excluded.
If the battery has been physically damaged, you should not post it to them for recycling. Take it to a more local recycling centre personally as shipping the battery in this condition is dangerous.
This service is designed for returning a toothbrush handle.
If you are wishing to recycle the toothbrush head only, then I encourage you to make use of the UK recycling schemes setup by both Colgate and Sonicare. They have a network of collection points around the UK where you can deposit used brush heads and other dental accessories for recycling.
Follow the links below for more information on either of those.
