Dow commercializes recyclable toothpaste packaging

- Recent innovations lead to production-ready sustainable manufacturing breakthrough

- On store shelves today from leading global toothpaste brands

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Oct 12, 2021, 09:00 ET

SHANGHAI, Oct. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dow (NYSE: DOW) announced today the ground-breaking commercialization of recyclable toothpaste tubes developed and manufactured in Asia Pacific and used by major consumer brands is now available on store shelves around the world. The Company worked closely with leading global toothpaste brands to bring the new sustainable solution into mass production. Coupled with responsible disposal and recycling infrastructure, this solution could help reduce the number of used toothpaste tubes entering landfills.

Unrecyclable toothpaste tubes account for an estimated 100,000 tons of waste each year – roughly the weight of 10 Eiffel Towers. However, making the tubes recyclable was a technically challenging endeavor. Since toothpaste is sensitive to oxygen and humidity, toothpaste manufacturers traditionally use tubes made from a combination of different plastics as well as a layer of aluminum, making the packaging nearly impossible to recycle. Using high-performance polyethylene-based technology that meets the same stringent performance requirements as traditional multilayer tubes, Dow's new packaging solution solves the recyclability issue by removing the aluminum layer while protecting the integrity of toothpaste products. It also offers printability thereby enabling brand owners to design for shelf appeal.

"Dow has made a commitment that 100 percent of what we sell into packaging applications must be reusable or recyclable by 2035," said Diego Donoso, president of Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. "Recyclable toothpaste tubes represent another advancement in our commitment to drive circular economy solutions together with our customers around the world."

"We are excited to make recyclable toothpaste tubes a reality for the oral hygiene industry by addressing the application challenges with Dow's materials science expertise," said Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific commercial vice president, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. "This new offering is part of a broader product portfolio of solutions that helps consumer brands reduce their environmental footprint and meet growing consumer demands for sustainability without compromising product performance."

In addition to toothpaste tubes, Dow has also launched several all-PE flexible packaging solutions, which have gained traction and adoption by leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods（FMCG）brand partners. These developments are part of Dow's efforts to achieve its Close the Loop target for 100 percent of its packaging solutions to be recyclable or reusable by 2035 and its target for one million metric tons of plastic to be collected, reused or recycled through its direct actions and partnerships by 2030.

Dow continues to collaborate with customers and value chain partners across the plastics and packaging industries to find new ways to extract the full value of plastic and help reduce the overall environmental impact of packaging and plastics. Examples include accelerating advanced recycling, advancing bio-based renewable feedstocks, helping consumer brands design their packing to be fully recyclable while also extending shelf life, to finding new ways to give hard-to-recycled plastics a second life.

The Company also recently announced several advancements that will enable Dow to provide initial supply of fully circular polymers to customers starting in 2022.

About Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics
Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP), a business unit of Dow (NYSE: DOW), combines core strengths of R&D, worldwide reach, broad product lines and industry expertise to deliver high performing technologies for end use markets in food packaging, personal hygiene, infrastructure, consumer goods and transportation. P&SP is one of the world's largest producers of polyethylene resins, functional polymers, and adhesives. Enabled by Pack Studios, it is a leading innovator and collaborator across the value chain in sustainable application development and circular economy life-cycle designs for plastics. www.dowpackaging.com

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company, with a purpose to deliver a sustainable future for the world through our materials science expertise and collaboration with our partners. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer care. Dow operates 106 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $39 billion in 2020. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

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SOURCE The Dow Chemical Company