A new recycling initiative aimed at reducing plastic waste from orthodontic treatment has been launched across Australia and New Zealand through a partnership between Angelalign Technology Inc and recycling company TerraCycle.
In a news release, TerraCycle said the Angel Aligner Recycling Program is designed to provide orthodontic and dental practices with a way to recycle used clear aligners, which are typically difficult to process through conventional kerbside recycling systems due to their complex plastic composition.
Clear aligners are commonly manufactured from multi-layered plastics such as polyester, polyurethane and polypropylene. Because these materials are bonded together, separating them at the end of their life cycle is challenging, meaning many used aligners are currently disposed of in landfill or incinerated.
According to industry research published in 2024, an estimated 728 million plastic models and aligners were being produced globally for more than 14 million patients.
The new program aims to address the resulting waste by providing a dedicated collection and recycling solution for aligner materials in Australia and New Zealand.
The initiative uses TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box recycling system, allowing orthodontic and dental practices to order a collection box through Angel Aligner and place it within their clinics for patients to return used aligners. Once the box is full, it is sent back to TerraCycle for processing.
The collected aligners are then recycled into plastic pellets that can be used to manufacture products such as outdoor furniture and playground equipment.
Angelalign Technology said the program was developed in response to the growing use of clear aligner treatment and the associated environmental considerations.
“As clear aligner treatment continues to grow across Australia and New Zealand, so does our responsibility to address its environmental footprint. We believe sustainability should be built into modern orthodontics, not treated as an afterthought,” said Colin Matheson, general manager for APAC at Angelalign Technology.
Matheson said the partnership with TerraCycle aims to provide practices and patients with a practical way to recycle aligners while enabling clinics to take measurable environmental action.
TerraCycle APAC general manager Annika Greve said the program targets a waste stream that is difficult to manage through conventional recycling systems.
“At TerraCycle, our focus is on creating real-world recycling solutions for complex waste streams,” Greve said. “Dental aligners are made from complex, multi-layered plastics that can’t be recycled through kerbside recycling. This program gives dental and orthodontic practices a simple and effective way to ensure aligner materials are not wasted, and instead used to make new products.”
The partners said the initiative is intended to help divert aligner waste from landfill while supporting sustainability efforts within dental and orthodontic practices across the region.
