chaz---you're right about that.

Try soaking the tubes in water to absorb the flavoring.

Some tubes can be recycled, so check your brand and it's # if your recycle center accepts it. Also, Tom's of Maine will take your old tubes and reuse them. Here's an article about it from this site. http://www.ecometro.com/community/blogs/...s-and-more.aspx

I really have to hand it to Tom’s of Maine. They not only research their packaging to improve recyclability, but you can even send them your old toothpaste tubes. In order to recycle their toothpaste tubes, first you remove the plastic cap and the plastic threaded covering on the neck of the tube. Then simply sort them in with your aluminum cans for recycling. According to their website, Tom's of Maine, “any toothpaste left in the tube and the food-grade plastic liner does not affect the tube's recyclability. When the aluminum is processed, any residual toothpaste as well as the food-grade liner melts away without contaminating the recycled product.” They happily recycle them for you if you send them to: Tom’s of Maine, Consumer Dialogue Team, 302 Lafayette Center, Kennebunk, ME 04043. Their floss, shave cream, deodorant and other product containers are also mostly made out of fully recyclable #4 and #5 plastics or paper.

Continuing with dental hygiene, many of you may already know the company Preserve, providers of recyclable toothbrushes. They also sell razors, tableware and cookware. Their Gimme 5 program now lets you send them your #5 plastics (yogurt cups, etc) and they will recycle them into their products. This program is in addition to their already long-standing service of being able to send them your used toothbrushes and razor handles to be recycled into plastic lumber for park benches or decks, for example. On their website, you can print out a postage-paid label to return their products to be transformed.