According to the company, the free collection program accepts toothpaste tubes and caps, mouthwash bottles and caps, deodorant/antiperspirant containers, and plastic soap wrappers regardless of the brand. For each piece of packaging collected and sent in, the collector then earns points that can be put toward charity gifts or converted to cash and paid to any school or non-profit organization.
"At Tom's of Maine one of our core values is to make packaging as recyclable as possible. We do this directly with our own packaging innovation and standards, but we also invest in partnerships like TerraCycle to help eliminate packaging waste," said Susan Dewhirst, goodness programs manager.
Dewhirst says the company is working to reduce its waste stream in Maine and in communities across the country. It's deodorant sticks for example are said to be made of a single plastic that can be recycled from canister to cap, apparently a first of its kind for the industry.