Re3 in Reading has confirmed that residents across Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Boroughs can now recycle toothpaste tubes at kerbside.
A Re3 spokesperson said: “In light of WRAP’s national campaign based on the Simpler Recycling guidance, which is encouraging kerbside collection of toothpaste tubes, re3 has reviewed its approach and is pleased to confirm that residents of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Boroughs can now recycle toothpaste tubes also at the kerbside, comingled with their regular recycling.
“We will work hard to ensure we capture as many tubes in our MRF process as possible, and our dedicated collection points will also remain on the HWRC’s.”
Kerbside collection expands
Around three million households in the UK are now able to recycle toothpaste tubes at the kerbside, as more local authorities update their collection policies to reflect the change in packaging.
However, while the new HDPE tubes are technically recyclable, some recycling sites have reported early challenges with sortation and handling.
The spokesperson added: “While toothpaste tubes can now be recycled – and our current recycling reprocessor is happy to receive them – our testing earlier this year at the MRF showed that their small size makes them difficult to separate effectively.
“To help ensure these items could be recycled, re3 introduced dedicated collection bins for toothpaste tubes at our household waste recycling centres.
The dedicated collection points at re3’s household waste recycling centres in Bracknell, Reading and Wokingham will remain available, providing residents with an additional option to ensure their tubes are recycled.
Recycle Week spotlights toothpaste tubes
The decision comes alongside WRAP’s national campaign during Recycle Week 2025, which spotlighted toothpaste tubes as an item where packaging changes can improve recycling rates.
Toothpaste tubes have traditionally posed a challenge for recycling systems, as they are manufactured with a thin aluminium layer sandwiched between plastic. This multi-material construction can make them very difficult to process.
However, manufacturers are being encouraged to switch to mono-material high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tubes, which WRAP says are technically 100% recyclable.
The tubes can be reprocessed into a range of items, including plastic piping, bleach bottles and garden furniture.
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