Procter & Gamble in the UK has joined the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) Scheme, during UK Recycle Week. The company said that the scheme provides consumers with “simple, consistent and recognizable recycling guidance”, and that it’s a “significant milestone” in its ‘Ambition 2030’ initiative aimed at reaching 100% of product packaging that is recyclable or reusable. P&G’s senior communications manager, Scott Popham, said that company research shows that on-pack guidance is the most important piece of recycling information for consumers, and they are looking for consistent advice. OPRL research found that 84% of consumers look at packaging for advice on recycling, but 54% throw at least one recyclable item in the trash every day. Launched in 2009, the OPRL scheme now covers over 600 brands across various sectors.
"Procter & Gamble joins OPRL Scheme", Letsrecycle.com, September 25, 2019
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Only 3% of polypropylene is recycled in the US, but that might soon change. It’s currently difficult to recycle, and its use as recycled content is limited, but John Layman, a Procter & gamble chemist, has been working on a way to purify it at a molecular level. The result, he claims, is clear and nontoxic pellets, with no odor, which can be turned into bottles that use a fraction of the energy needed for virgin polypropylene. P&G has licensed the technology via a startup called PureCycle Technologies, which ran the process at commercial scale in July this year. The company has signed deals with a number of manufacturers, including Nestlé and L’Oréal, as well as P&G, and has presold over 20 years of output from the capacity of its first plant. It aims to rollout the technology elsewhere in the US, and also Europe. The plant has been able to successfully recycle polypropylene used in almost every application, with the focus currently on recycling the polypropylene from old carpets.
"There’s Finally a Way to Recycle the Plastic in Shampoo and Yogurt Packaging ", MSN, September 26, 2019
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Stora Enso, a Finland-based company, has developed a packaging solution that could replace plastic tubes for cosmetics with a paperboard alternative. The material is a coated, grease-resistant paperboard that can reduce plastic use in tube bodies by 70%, and it’s working on a bio-composite replacement for plastic caps and tube shoulders. Henna Paakkonen-Alvim, vice president of innovation for the company’s Consumer Board division has called the technology a “super, super exciting new alternative” and the company is hoping to collaborate with cosmetics and personal care brands, as well as companies producing tubes for these categories.
https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2019/10/08/Paperboard-packaging-promising-sustainable-alternative-for-cosmetic-brands
Separately, L'Oréal has developed a tube for cosmetics in which plastic is mostly replaced by “a bio-based and certified paper-like material”. The company and its partner, Albéa will assess the solution for environmental
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"Paperboard ‘super exciting’ alternative in plastic-dominated cosmetic space: Developer", L’Oréal , October 08, 2019
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Single-dose capsules are seeming to be a more sustainable way to deliver some beauty products and also a way to ensure they are more effective. Various beauty companies are launching monodose capsules and some commentators believe they could help the industry become more sustainable.
Single-use capsules have been around at least since Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Capsules some 30 years ago. Recent innovations center on biodegradable and even vegan casings. Elizabeth Arden has released various capsule-based products and this year launched Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum, the capsules for which are vegetable- and mineral-based and dissolve in water.
One upside of capsules is that by preventing exposure to air, capsules can ensure each dose is more effective.
"Beauty Product 'Capsules' May Be the Cutting Edge of Sustainable Skin-Care Innovation", Fashionista, October 09, 2019
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As part of its efforts to become a sustainable leader, Italy is reviewing proposals that would offer discounts on food and toiletry products that do not have plastic packaging. Some commentators talk of a 20% discount on goods that are plastic-free, which would likely have a significant impact on consumer spending patterns and force suppliers to make changes. The proposals are part of a broader range of measures that include offering public transport season tickets to people who stop using their cars, mopeds or scooters, investment in electric and hybrid school buses and an urban reforestation plan.
"Italy proposes price cuts on plastic-free food and toiletries", Independent.co.uk, October 11, 2019
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