Skip to content
Brush & Floss
Menu

How-to

How to recycle electric toothbrush heads and old handles in the UK

Published

Note: This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more

In short

Electric toothbrush heads are made of mixed plastics with a small metal part, so most UK councils do not accept them in household recycling. Check for a free brand or TerraCycle take-back scheme, or put them in general waste. An old handle is a small electrical item with a lithium-ion battery: never put it in a bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre or a retailer's electrical take-back point.

Products for this job

Compare all 8 products

With a new head every three months, a household with electric toothbrushes gets through a lot of small plastic heads each year. And at some point the handle itself wears out. Neither belongs in the kerbside recycling box in most of the UK, and a handle should never go in a bin at all. This guide explains why heads are hard to recycle, what take-back options exist, and how to dispose of an old handle safely and legally. Schemes change, so check what is open in your area.

Why heads are hard to recycle

A brush head combines a plastic body, nylon bristles and often a small metal part that grips the shaft. Sonicare heads also carry a small chip on many models. Mixed materials in a small item are hard for council sorting plants to separate, so most councils ask you to put toothbrush heads in general waste.

Check your council's recycling page to be sure, because local rules vary. The Recycle Now locator lets you search by item and postcode.

Take-back schemes for heads

Oral-B and Philips have both run free recycling schemes in the UK with TerraCycle, where you collect used heads and post them or drop them at a public collection point. Some dental practices and community groups also host collection boxes. These schemes open, close and change, so check the brand's UK website or TerraCycle's UK site for what is currently running.

Rinse and dry heads before collecting them, and keep them in a box or bag until you have enough to send.

  1. 1

    Rinse and dry used heads.

  2. 2

    Store them in a box by the sink.

  3. 3

    Check Oral-B, Philips or TerraCycle UK for an open scheme.

  4. 4

    Post them or take them to a collection point.

Old handles: treat them as electricals

An electric toothbrush handle contains a motor, a circuit board and a sealed lithium-ion battery. In the UK it counts as waste electrical and electronic equipment, the kind marked with a crossed-out wheelie bin symbol. It must not go in the general waste or recycling bin.

Lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if crushed in a bin lorry or at a waste site, which is why fire services and councils ask people to recycle them separately.

Note:Never put a toothbrush handle, water flosser or loose lithium battery in a household bin. Do not try to open the handle to remove the battery.

Where to take an old handle

Most areas of the UK give you several safe ways to dispose of a handle. Pick whichever is most convenient for you.

  • Household waste recycling centre: use the small electricals container.
  • Retailer take-back: many shops that sell electricals offer take-back of an old item when you buy a new one, and some large stores accept small electricals without a purchase.
  • Council collection: some councils collect small electricals at the kerbside in a separate bag; check your council's website.
  • Brand schemes: check whether Oral-B or Philips offers a handle take-back when you buy a new brush.

Cutting down on waste

The simplest way to cut waste is to make each part last its full life. Change heads on schedule, about every three months as the NHS advises, but not much sooner; our brush-head planner works out heads per year. Keep the shaft clean so the handle lasts; see how to clean an electric toothbrush.

Look after the battery too. See how long does an electric toothbrush last? for what affects handle life.

0123456789101112New head every 3 monthsmonthsNew headWorn head
Four head changes a year: the NHS advises a new head every 3 months, or sooner if the bristles are worn.

Choosing a long-lasting brush

Some handles come with more heads in the box, which reduces packaging from separate packs, and premium handles generally come with longer warranties. If you are replacing a worn-out handle, our best electric toothbrush guide compares premium Oral-B iO and Sonicare models, and our guide to electric toothbrushes under £300 covers the middle of the range.

Compare premium brushes →

Water flossers and other dental gadgets

The same rules apply to water flossers, cordless flossers and charging cases. Anything with a plug, a charger or a built-in battery is a small electrical item and goes to electrical recycling, not the bin. Flosser tips are small mixed plastics like brush heads, so check your council's rules or a take-back scheme. Chargers and travel cases with USB charging also count as electricals. If you are clearing out a drawer of old chargers, take them together to the small electricals container at your local recycling centre. Remove any loose batteries from battery-powered toothbrushes and take them to a battery collection bin, which most supermarkets and shops that sell batteries provide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put electric toothbrush heads in my recycling bin? In most UK areas, no. Check your council's rules or use a take-back scheme.

How do I dispose of an electric toothbrush? Take the handle to a recycling centre or retailer take-back point as a small electrical item. Do not bin it.

Should I remove the battery first? No. The battery is sealed inside. Recycle the whole handle.

Are compatible heads easier to recycle? Not usually. They are made of similar mixed materials. See genuine vs compatible brush heads.

What you need

Sources