Podcast 188: The great plastic recycling myth

Rising up within the Netherlands, Method Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier realized the worth of recycling plastic from an early age. Nonetheless, the prevailing tradition of single-use plastics she skilled in international locations like the UK and the USA was in stark distinction to the practices within the Netherlands.

With a profession background as a Chartered Environmentalist and a biologist, Lorraine is finely tuned to any cosmetics companies’ claims about sustainable packaging, plastic-free alternate options and different inexperienced credentials. Whereas many large gamers are shifting in the direction of extra accountable packaging methods, a urgent query stays: what actually occurs to our recycled plastics? Is the labeling of sure plastic beauty packaging as recyclable, blindsiding us and akin to greenwashing?

In last week’s podcast, Lorraine interviewed Dr Suvi Haimi, Co-Founder and CEO of Sulapac, who delivered to gentle the parable of plastic recyclability, revealing that some plastics can solely be recycled as soon as. In right now’s Inexperienced Magnificence Opinions, Lorraine explores this important subject.

“Even when all of us eliminate our plastics considering they’ll be recycled, what truly occurs to them? We have to problem the parable of plastic recyclability.”

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Key takeaways from this episode on plastic recycling:

• The fact of plastic recycling: regardless of efforts, the recycling charges globally are removed from superb. As an illustration, solely 5% of plastic waste was recycled within the US in 2021.
• The constraints of recycling plastics: in contrast to aluminium or glass, recycling plastic degrades its high quality, usually resulting in “down-cycling” somewhat than the creation of recent, related merchandise.
• The reality about PCR plastics: post-consumer recycled plastics utilized by some beauty manufacturers aren’t infinitely recyclable. Manufacturers utilizing PCR plastics usually make sustainability claims that don’t necessitate client recycling or composting after use.
• A name to scrutinise beauty packaging: perceive the supplies utilized in your beauty packaging and think about this in your future magnificence product selections.
• Transferring past appearances: prioritise sustainability not simply in product look but in addition in packaging.

 
When you loved this episode on beauty packaging and alternate options to plastic in magnificence, do delve again into the podcast archives. Go and pay attention to those associated episodes and matters:

Episode 143: The brand creating mascara tubes to last 2,500 years.
Episode 117: Should beauty go plastic free?
Episode 118: Plastic is not the enemy – we are.
Episode 115: The microplastics hiding in your cosmetics.
Episode 112: The dirty business of beauty waste.
Episode 93: Innovative beauty packaging with mushroom and seeds.

 
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Lorraine Dallmeier is a Biologist, Chartered Environmentalist and the CEO of Method Botanica, the award-winning on-line natural beauty science faculty. Learn extra about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica Team.