by Matt Dionne on April 8, 2021 Nordstrom has announced it's launching a makeup recycling program--the first of its kind in Canada. Every year, more than 120 billion units of plastic packaging are produced by the global beauty industry, but only nine per cent of this packaging ends up being recycled. In response, the Seattle-based company has announced it will be encouraging Canadians to bring their empty beauty packaging--from any brand--into the store to be recycled. The program, known as BEAUTYCYCLE was first launched in the U.S. in 2020 in part because many local recycling centres will not accept beauty materials and packaging due to the fact they're often comprised of a mix of materials that are not locally recyclable. As of Tuesday (April 6), Canadians can bring their empty beauty packing into their nearest Nordstrom and drop them into the BEAUTYCYCLE boxes, the contents of which will then be sent to TerraCycle and recycled. Some notable items that will be accepted include shampoo and conditioner bottles and caps; hair gel tubes and caps; hair spray bottles and triggers; hair paste; plastic jars and caps; lip balm tubes; face soap dispensers and tubes; lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars; shaving foam tubes (not cans); lip gloss tubes; mascara tubes; eyeliner pencils and cases; eye shadow and tubes; and concealer tubes and sticks. “We understand our customers care about sustainability, and we want to help them move toward a zero-waste beauty routine so they can look great and do good at the same time,” Gemma Lionello, executive vice president and general merchandise manager of accessories and beauty for Nordstrom, said in a news release. “We’re proud to expand access to a recycling program that will help our Canadian customers easily and conveniently recycle their beauty packaging," she continued.