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ELIMINATING THE IDEA OF WASTE®

Posts with term Aussie X

This Program Recycles The Hard-To-Recycle

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By Kate Lawless | Photo credit: Image courtesy TerraCycle Spring cleaning is on our minds, and it’s important to think about what we’re throwing away — but also how we can make more sustainable choices going forward. Luckily, there are alternatives to just tossing items that are better for the environment, and TerraCycle is one such program revolutionizing recycling. TerraCycle is a social enterprise company that offers free recycling programs “funded by brands, manufacturers and retailers around the world to help you collect and recycle your hard-to-recycle waste.” The company accepts items that typically, a city’s recycling program may not take. Here in the Madison area, TerraCycle partners with well-known brands such as Colgate, Aussie, Gillette and Josie Maran, to recycle items like razors and cosmetics and turn them into new products. Guided by the company’s belief that you can recycle almost anything, TerraCycle has won many awards for its personalized and partnership-focused recycling programs, including being selected as a 2021 “Top Impact Company” alongside trailblazing companies like Patagonia and Tesla. There are a few ways consumers can try out TerraCycle:
  • Peruse TerraCycle’s website to see which brands have partnerships with the company. From BIC pens to Brita water filters, you can find a wide array of products that TerraCycle is able to accept. Choose a personalized box from that brand that will ship right to your house. Then, fill up the box with used products from that brand, and ship it back to be recycled — free of cost to you. Interestingly, you can even recycle certain personal protective equipment and disposable face masks.
  • TerraCycle already has public drop-off locations in schools and libraries in Monona and certain healthcare providers in Madison. Checking their website can help you find the closest public drop-off location to you.
  • You can also order their Zero Waste Boxes for your home, school or workplace to start your community’s own recycling initiative, according to what brands and products you most regularly use.
Besides reducing waste, TerraCycle’s programs also allow consumers to earn points for each pound they recycle. Each pound is worth 100 points and each point is worth 1 cent. You can then donate that money to a school or nonprofit organization of your choice. terracycle.com/en-US/

P&G Announces Its Reusable and Refillable Aluminum Bottle System

LONDON-- P&G Beauty unveils its newest packaging innovation across its haircare brands, set to change the way consumers buy, use and dispose of their shampoo bottles, as it continues its commitment to be a force for good and a positive force for beauty in the world.   As announced at a live panel of sustainability experts at the Reuters Responsible Business Summit, guests at The Window to Act is Now: Advancing Responsible Beauty in Europe heard that, as of 2021, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie will enable the 200 million European households1 to recycle, reduce and reuse. The leading beauty brands will launch a refill system for their shampoo, thanks to a new reusable 100% aluminium bottle and recyclable2 refill pouch, made using 60% less plastic (per mL versus standard brand bottle). P&G Beauty is on track to reduce virgin plastic usage by 50% in shampoos and conditioners bottles by the end of 20213, where through collective efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle it will result in 300 million fewer virgin plastic bottles being produced yearly. peaking at the event, Artur Litarowicz, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Haircare for P&G Europe said; “We need to start turning the tide on the plastic waste crisis and there is no time to waste when it comes to protecting our planet. That is why I’m thrilled to announce a new packaging innovation called the ‘good refill system’. This will allow consumers to have the product they love now in a beautiful, reusable aluminium bottle and refill pouches as of 2021. This will be launched across Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie. We know this is just the start. There is so much more to do, and I am passionate about P&G Beauty being a force for good across Europe as we step towards achieving our 2030 Responsible Beauty goals at pace.”
Virginie Helias, P&G’s Chief Sustainability Officer added; “We have committed to enable and inspire responsible consumption through innovation on our product and packaging. Our leading beauty brands in Europe touch millions of lives. This new packaging innovation will contribute to making the reuse of packaging irresistible, while enabling a reduction of virgin plastic as per P&G’s Ambition 2030 commitment. It’s no longer about if or what we can do, but how quickly we can do it - the window is now for embracing new sustainable lifestyles.” Litarowicz and Helias were joined at the interactive panel discussion by founder and CEO at TerraCycle, Tom Szaky, Head of Plastic Waste and Business at WWF, Erin Simon and climate activist, Clover Hogan, who provided their perspective on the role of brands to help turn the tide of the plastics crisis. Tom Szaky commented; “I’ve long been a believer that a refill behaviour is a big part of the future of sustainable packaging and the innovation announced by P&G Beauty today is a positive step in the right direction for the many millions of households Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie serve. While there is of course more to be done, it’s great to see large companies such as P&G Beauty taking the issue seriously and using their scale to drive change quickly and impactfully.”

Rinse, refill, repeat

P&G Beauty strikes a major blow to plastic waste with its new refill system including a reusable aluminium shampoo bottle and recyclable¹ pouch that uses 60% less plastic²

P&G Beauty is taking a leap of faith on the European consumer. With the launch of its refillable aluminium bottle system in Europe for its hair care brands Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie.
Obviously, the consumer goods giant has done its research, and there appears to be a strong appetite for less packaging and less waste. But how this will translate into changed behaviours is essentially untested. Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle, works with every major cosmetic company in the world, helping them to be more sustainable. He says this is the first time he has seen a large company with mainstream brands create a refillable bottle at scale, out of an alloy. “From a supply chain point of view, this is a big undertaking. Hopefully, it will inspire other organisations to do the same and create a movement where we start buying more of our shampoos in reusable systems versus single use systems.” There is certainly reason for optimism. “When we started researching this, we found packaging waste was very much top-of-mind,” says Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer at P&G. “Over-packaging was a deterrent to purchase. All things being equal, the consumer would buy the product with less packaging.” This was backed up by a recent IPSOS survey of changing consumer habits, post-Covid. More than three-quarter of respondents said that they would avoid products with too much packaging. “Consumers want to do their bit for the environment and are asking big brands to act fast and enable them to make better, more sustainable choices at home,” says Artur Litarowicz, P&G’s Senior Vice President for Hair Care Europe. “The new aluminium shampoo refill bottle we are launching across our four hair care brands, is durable and it has been designed to allow consumers to reuse it, over and over. The new aluminium bottles will allow consumers to use the product they love without wasting packaging.”
Reduce, reuse, recycle
P&G Beauty is also set to reduce its virgin plastic usage in its main hair care brands by 50% in the next year, and combined with the distribution of the shampoo refill system will halt the production of the equivalent of 300 million virgin plastic bottles a year from 2021 enabling the 200 million European house holds its serves³ to recycle, reduce and reuse. While sustainable pack design appears entirely within a company’s control, even here, wider cooperation is required. “There is a wide spectrum of quality in recycled plastic,” says Ms Helias. “Most of the plastic we use is ‘food’ grade, which, you could argue, is overdesigned. But there is a meagre supply of high-quality recycled plastic, because there is nothing much between food grade and very poor quality. To unlock this supply shortage, the industry must collectively define a wider spectrum of grades, so we don’t all go for food grade where supply is limited.” Meanwhile, the problem of plastic waste is growing. This year is expected to see a 30% increase in the amount of plastic waste littering our oceans, largely as a result of the huge increase in plastic products used to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Ms Helias notes that the problem is not inherently any material, but our behaviour: “Actually plastic is one of the most sustainable materials. The issue is the litter of plastic in the environment.” One way to make sure plastic doesn’t end up in the ocean is to not make it in the first place. “Even if we call it ‘responsible’, a lot of plastic is still being incinerated,” says TerraCycle’s Mr Szaky. “And every time we make a new bottle, we must extract more oil from the ground, extract a huge amount of energy to make it, and for a relatively short life cycle.” TerraCycle operates Loop, a circular waste system that allows consumers to drop off their empties at participating retailers, which are then washed and reused by someone else. It’s basically the standard system for industrial economies pre-Second World War, before it was replaced by a throw-away convenience culture. But reintroducing re-usage into twenty-first century supply chains and lifestyles is very complex.
P&G was the first adopter of Loop, and it is being rolled out across Western Europe, with more than 100 consumer goods companies now signed up. This is different to P&G’s refillable aluminium bottle scheme, which is a bottle to keep and refill at home, but Mr Szaky is supportive. “Loop requires sizeable infrastructure whereas the refill bottle can happen now. This is a good way to bring concept to consumers early. I think the answer to sustainability is: move on all these tangents simultaneously and don’t assume there is a silver bullet.” He also believes the aluminium bottle concept is an enabler of the Loop system because it will show data and consumer insights on how people are reacting to refillables and make negotiations with retailers in other countries easier. Similarly, it was P&G’s early experience of Loop that gave it the confidence to go ahead with its new shampoo refill system. “We are accelerating our sustainability goals not because we have to but because we want to,” says Mr Litarowicz. “We have a vision that by 2030 our packaging will be 100% recyclable or reusable globally. By 2025, 90% of our major packaging platforms will be recyclable or reusable across P&G Beauty globally.” Beautiful behaviour But the main challenge is not so much technological, or even logistical, as behavioural. Loop relies on a significant change in consumer behaviour, and P&G’s shampoo refill system is only as responsible as the person using it. “Refillable aluminium bottles have to go around multiple times before they are better than disposable,” says Mr Szaky. “If you buy an aluminium bottle, use it once and recycle it – that is a disservice to the planet.
Ms Helias says that sustainability break-even for the aluminium bottle is 6-10 cycles. “The design is made to last much longer than that.” Despite the encouraging consumer sentiment, P&G Beauty isn’t relying purely on people’s good conscience to adopt the new scheme. “This is also a design driven initiative,” says Ms Helias. “The bottles are beautiful. One of our mottos is making sustainability irresistible – and that’s what this does. Even if you are not at all environmentally conscious, you may want to be part of this, because it’s so much nicer than the single-use shampoo bottle.” How fast adoption will be is difficult to predict, but Ms Helias is quietly confident. “My personal opinion and also based on what we’ve seen, it will really stick and go faster than we might expect. I’m looking forward to seeing how consumers respond.”

P&G Beauty Launches Its First-Ever Refillable Aluminum Bottles for Hair Care

Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie are P&G's first brands to use the refill system at scale in Europe.
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Beauty Packaging Staff10.22.20
P&G Beauty has announced its first-ever refillable aluminium bottle system to launch at-scale, with its Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie brands in Europe. The refill system uses a new reusable 100% aluminium bottle and recyclable refill pouch, made using 60% less plastic (per mL versus standard brand bottle). The new sustainable packaging will enable millions of households across Europe to reduce, reuse and recycle. It is set to pave the way in changing the way consumers buy, use and dispose of their shampoo bottles. The news was announced during a live panel of sustainability experts at the Reuters Responsible Business Summit. Guests at "The Window to Act is Now: Advancing Responsible Beauty in Europe" heard that, as of 2021, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie will enable the 200 million European households to recycle, reduce and reuse. Speaking at the event, Artur Litarowicz, senior vice president and general manager of Haircare for P&G Europe said; “We need to start turning the tide on the plastic waste crisis and there is no time to waste when it comes to protecting our planet. That is why I’m thrilled to announce a new packaging innovation called the ‘good refill system’. He continued, "This will allow consumers to have the product they love now in a beautiful, reusable aluminium bottle and refill pouches as of 2021. This will be launched across Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie. We know this is just the start. There is so much more to do, and I am passionate about P&G Beauty being a force for good across Europe as we step towards achieving our 2030 Responsible Beauty goals at pace.”

P&G Is On Track Toward Meeting Sustainability Goals by 2030

P&G Beauty is on track to reduce virgin plastic usage by 50% in shampoos and conditioners bottles by the end of 2021, where through collective efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle it will result in 300 million fewer virgin plastic bottles being produced yearly. Virginie Helias, P&G’s chief sustainability officer added; “We have committed to enable and inspire responsible consumption through innovation on our product and packaging. Our leading beauty brands in Europe touch millions of lives. This new packaging innovation will contribute to making the reuse of packaging irresistible, while enabling a reduction of virgin plastic as per P&G’s Ambition 2030 commitment. It’s no longer about if or what we can do, but how quickly we can do it - the window is now for embracing new sustainable lifestyles.” Litarowicz and Helias were joined at the interactive panel discussion by founder and CEO at TerraCycle, Tom Szaky, Head of Plastic Waste and Business at WWF, Erin Simon and climate activist, Clover Hogan, who provided their perspective on the role of brands to help turn the tide of the plastics crisis.
Tom Szaky commented; “I’ve long been a believer that a refill behavior is a big part of the future of sustainable packaging and the innovation announced by P&G Beauty today is a positive step in the right direction for the many millions of households Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie serve. While there is of course more to be done, it’s great to see large companies such as P&G Beauty taking the issue seriously and using their scale to drive change quickly and impactfully.”

P&G Beauty Announces the Launch of Its First Ever Reusable and Refillable Aluminium Bottle System at Scale, with its Brands Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie in Europe

  • The launch of its first P&G Beauty aluminium reusable bottle and refill system in hair care, will enable millions of households across Europe to reduce, reuse and recycle their packaging
  • P&G Beauty Europe announces its next step towards reaching its Responsible Beauty 2030 goals, announced in June 2020
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P&G Beauty Announces the Launch of Its First Ever Reusable and Refillable Aluminium Bottle System at Scale, with its Brands Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie in Europe (Graphic: Business Wire)
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, P&G Beauty unveils its newest packaging innovation across its haircare brands, set to change the way consumers buy, use and dispose of their shampoo bottles, as it continues its commitment to be a force for good and a positive force for beauty in the world. As announced at a live panel of sustainability experts at the Reuters Responsible Business Summit, guests at The Window to Act is Now: Advancing Responsible Beauty in Europe heard that, as of 2021, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie will enable the 200 million European households1 to recycle, reduce and reuse. The leading beauty brands will launch a refill system for their shampoo, thanks to a new reusable 100% aluminium bottle and recyclable2 refill pouch, made using 60% less plastic (per mL versus standard brand bottle). P&G Beauty is on track to reduce virgin plastic usage by 50% in shampoos and conditioners bottles by the end of 20213, where through collective efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle it will result in 300 million fewer virgin plastic bottles being produced yearly. Speaking at the event, Artur Litarowicz, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Haircare for P&G Europe said; “We need to start turning the tide on the plastic waste crisis and there is no time to waste when it comes to protecting our planet. That is why I’m thrilled to announce a new packaging innovation called the ‘good refill system’. This will allow consumers to have the product they love now in a beautiful, reusable aluminium bottle and refill pouches as of 2021. This will be launched across Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie. We know this is just the start. There is so much more to do, and I am passionate about P&G Beauty being a force for good across Europe as we step towards achieving our 2030 Responsible Beauty goals at pace.” Virginie Helias, P&G’s Chief Sustainability Officer added; “We have committed to enable and inspire responsible consumption through innovation on our product and packaging. Our leading beauty brands in Europe touch millions of lives. This new packaging innovation will contribute to making the reuse of packaging irresistible, while enabling a reduction of virgin plastic as per P&G’s Ambition 2030 commitment. It’s no longer about if or what we can do, but how quickly we can do it - the window is now for embracing new sustainable lifestyles.” Litarowicz and Helias were joined at the interactive panel discussion by founder and CEO at TerraCycle, Tom Szaky, Head of Plastic Waste and Business at WWF, Erin Simon and climate activist, Clover Hogan, who provided their perspective on the role of brands to help turn the tide of the plastics crisis. Tom Szaky commented; “I’ve long been a believer that a refill behaviour is a big part of the future of sustainable packaging and the innovation announced by P&G Beauty today is a positive step in the right direction for the many millions of households Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie serve. While there is of course more to be done, it’s great to see large companies such as P&G Beauty taking the issue seriously and using their scale to drive change quickly and impactfully.”