Colgate-Palmolive develops global system for zero waste

Colgate-Palmolive has earned 53 TRUE zero-waste certifications across 27 countries, a program that verifies factories and offices divert almost all their waste from landfills and incinerators. TRUE is run by the same group behind LEED, the well-known green building rating system. The company's push started back in 2010 and has grown to cover manufacturing plants, warehouses and offices on six continents, with 23 more sites working toward certification now.

The work isn't just about recycling more. Plants have redesigned packaging to use less plastic, found composting solutions for scrap toothpaste and dental cream, switched from disposable to reusable materials, and turned old toothpaste tubes into flip-flops or construction panels. These changes have also saved money — one Italian plant earned about $161,000 from recycling revenue in a year, and a Kansas pet-food plant saved over $60,000. Some sites have hit waste-diversion rates above 99%.

For homeowners, the most relevant detail is packaging: Colgate has rolled out a recyclable toothpaste tube, now used for 98% of its U.S. products, and says 96% of its packaging worldwide is designed to be recyclable, with a goal of 100% by 2030. The company notes, though, that many local recycling programs don't yet accept toothpaste tubes, so it's worth checking whether your own curbside or drop-off recycling program takes them before tossing one in the bin.