GSK Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH) is contributing to raising sustainability standards in the oral care industry with its first carbon neutral toothbrush.

GSKCH, which is due to separate into a new company next year, stated that the Dr.BEST GreenClean toothbrush will help reduce the use of fossil fuels for virgin plastic with new eco-friendly handle technology that builds on previous innovations with sustainable bristles and packaging.

The Dr.BEST GreenClean toothbrush handle is made from renewable cellulose and ‘tall oil’ – a wood-based bioplastic that is derived from pine, spruce and birch trees in sustainable forests. Applied in oral care for the first time by GSKCH, it is a by-product of paper production, and would otherwise be disposed of.

The bristles are made of renewable castor oil (already used in GSKCH’s Aquafresh and Dr.BEST bamboo brushes). Meanwhile, the product’s plastic-free packaging uses GSKCH’s innovative renewable cellulose for the product window.

GSKCH has formed a partnership with ClimatePartner, a leading European solution provider for corporate climate action, to analyse and minimise the carbon impact of the product and its manufacturing – reducing the carbon footprint of the brush by over 50% compared to the standard Dr.BEST toothbrush. The remaining footprint is offset through a community-based ClimatePartner project in Madagascar.

The company has global plans to apply the new technology across other toothbrushes in its portfolio, including in its market-leading Sensodyne brand.

The launch of the carbon neutral toothbrush continues GSKCH’s drive to improve sustainability in oral care, which began with the rollout of its first sustainably grown bamboo toothbrushes in September 2020 in Europe. This March, it also launched its first plastic-free toothbrush packaging, which included Sensodyne Pronamel and parodontax brushes in the US. Asia Pacific rollout of this has commenced in Australia.

Gareth Rudduck, Oral Care Sustainability Lead, GSK Consumer Healthcare said: “We’re proud to have led the growth of the oral care category globally, applying our trusted science to build awareness of preventable oral care conditions and drive better oral care habits.

“We’re now collaborating with retailers and dental healthcare professionals to drive the growth of more sustainable options in oral care products across the world. Whilst this product achieves carbon neutral status by offsetting, we are working to develop future solutions that do not require offsetting. It’s just one part of our ongoing sustainability journey, in which we’re working to address the environmental and societal barriers to everyday health.”