Did you know that each year the beauty industry produces at least 120 billion pieces of packaging, a lot of it being single-use plastic, and up to 95% of it is being thrown away? With statistics like this it's no wonder the planet is facing so many environmental challenges.
The good news is that many beauty brands are switching to more sustainable packaging solutions but the responsibility also lands with us, the consumer, and there are things we can do to minimise waste and single-use plastics going into landfill.
Below I have broken down three options on a "Good, Better, Best" sliding scale to help you reduce your household beauty waste.
GOOD: KERBSIDE RECYCLING
Before you throw your empty beauty packaging and products in the bin, check what parts of the packaging can be recycled. Some components can be put into your local kerbside recycling bin while other parts may only be able to go into general waste.
The Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) is an evidence-based system for Australia and New Zealand that provides easy to understand recycling information that helps to remove confusion, saves time and reduces waste going to landfill.
The ARL is an element of APCO’s Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) Program. APCO, Planet Ark and PREP Design are working in partnership to deliver the program and help everyone better understand how to dispose of packaging effectively and assist brands in designing packaging that is recyclable.
Look for these logos on the back of your favourite beauty products to understand how each part should be disposed of:
For example, Peg Paste have designed their signature pump bottles so that they can be thoughtfully disposed of in your kerbside recycling bin once they are empty.
BETTER: TERRCYCLE
If the thought of sorting your own packaging feels daunting then leave it to the experts at TerraCycle. TerraCycle are on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste and have partnered with businesses, communities, and individuals to move the world from a linear economy to a circular economy.
TerraCycle isn’t your typical recycler and they have developed ways to collect and recycle rubbish that is not generally accepted by traditional municipal recycling services, including mascara wands, lip products, eyeshadow compacts (including ones with mirrors) and much more.
TerraCycle offers free public drop-off points where you can take your empty beauty products to be recycled. They have partnered with beauty businesses across Australia such as Mecca, Priceline and Sephora making the drop-off points easily accessible. You can find your nearest drop off point here. In some cases you can also earn bonus loyalty points for dropping your empties off at the above beauty stores so it is definitely worth doing.
The products you drop off should be empty or almost empty and while you don't need to clean the packaging before dropping it off for recycling, you should try and remove as much of the remaining product as possible and ensure the empty packaging is dry as they won't accept dripping items.
Regardless of what store you drop your empties off to, the beauty products can be from any brand and they don't have to be stocked in that particular store. Be sure to check the TerraCycle website for a list of eligible beauty products that can be recycled.
Once collected, the beauty empties are cleaned and separated by material type. The fibres and plastics are recycled into raw formats that manufacturers use to make new products.
Here is how different types of materials are recycled:
- PLASTICS are separated by number, melted down and turned into pellets that can be used to create new products.
- METALS are separated by type and smelted into ingots for reuse.
- GLASS is cleaned and sorted by colour for processing; it is then crushed and melted to be used in new glass products.
BEST - REFILL & REPURPOSE
When you are purchasing beauty products look to see if the brand offers a refill option. I was so excited when SISUU recently announced that their Magnesium Recovery Spray was now available to purchase in a Recovery Refill Satchel. I adore their bottles and it always felt so wasteful to get rid of them but now I can continue using them and top up the bottle when it gets low.
The 90ml Recovery Refill Satchel is designed to top up your 30ml bottle (3x) and 100ml bottle (1x). The pouches are pre-cycled, meaning they create less waste in the first place and require less materials and energy to make than glass, cans or plastic bottles.
Another option is to get creative and repurpose your empty beauty product packaging to give it a new life. For example, I use my empty Recreation Beauty Glow Queen Glow Body Oil bottle as a vase to hold sprigs of lavender and my empty Wanderlightly Naked Balm jar to hold my hair elastics and bobby pins.
Your choices make a difference and by purchasing sustainable beauty products and supporting brands with ethical production practices, you are voting with your dollar for a circular economy and a more sustainable future.
How do you dispose of your beauty product packaging? Do you only shop from brands with recyclable packaging or zero waste options? Let's discuss in the comments below.