Els lleidatans ja poden reciclar les seves maquinetes d’afaitar una vegada finalitzada la seva vida útil. Per primera vegada, els veïns de Lleida poden reciclar des de casa les maquinetes d’afaitar d’un sol ús, les maquinetes recarregables i els recanvis independentment de la seva marca comercial. Aquest programa de reciclatge és impulsat per TerraCycle, companyia especialitzada en el tractament de residus difícils de reciclar, juntament amb Gillette i Venus.

Terracycle avec le concours des marques Gillette (Procter & Gamble), Signal (Unilever) et du groupe L'Oréal installent des bornes pour collecter et recycler les emballages des produits de beauté dans les 140 magasins Monoprix.

En 2018 et 2019, Terrracycle, avec le concours du groupe Procter & Gamble, avait mené des campagnes pour collecter et recycler les emballages de produits de beauté chez Monoprix. En 2022, l'opération prend de l'ampleur.

TerraCycle, compañía especializada en el tratamiento de residuos difíciles de reciclar por los sistemas tradicionales, ha recogido en España más de 9,4 millones de productos difíciles de reciclar en sus 10 años de trayectoria en el país. Solo en 2021 ha recogido más de 20.000 Kgs de residuos rechazados para darles una segunda vida. Material de escritura, maquinillas de afeitar, cápsulas de café, productos de higiene bucal y cartuchos y tóners de impresora son algunos de los residuos que TerraCycle recoge para evitar que acaben en el vertedero y transformarlos en nuevos productos.

Vivimos en un mundo en el que el 80% de lo que tiramos a la basura técnicamente se puede reciclar. Conscientes de lo increíblemente confuso que puede llegar a ser el reciclaje desde casa, especialmente en lo que respecta a productos de aseo personal, Gillette y Venus, marcas de afeitado y depilación del grupo P&G, acaban de anunciar un programa de reciclaje de máquinas de afeitar en España. Juntamente con TerraCycle, compañía especializada en el tratamiento de residuos difíciles de reciclar, darán una segunda vida a este producto tan presente en nuestra vida cotidiana. La iniciativa, que pretende acercar el reciclaje a todos los hogares españoles, pone a disposición de los usuarios un servicio gratuito de mensajería.

    This story is part of Glossy’s Earth Week series, which spotlights sustainability efforts and topics across the beauty and fashion industries. You can read some of our other coverage here and here. When it comes to sustainability, retailers are trying to move into the spotlight. In early March, Ulta Beauty announced a partnership and dedicated website with Loop, allowing customers to shop specific brands and products on LoopByUlta.com and send back their empty packages. In 2020, with the launch of its Conscious Beauty program, Ulta Beauty also committed that all packaging sold from all brands will need to be made from 50% post-consumer recycled or bio-sourced materials, or recyclable or refillable by 2025. Ulta Beauty sells over 600 brands, including Chanel, Covergirl and Ouai hair care. Also in 2020, Credo committed that it would eliminate single-use masks and wipes and that its brand partners would be required to use 50% PCR plastic or other sustainable materials by June 2023. “It is our responsibility to ensure that Ulta Beauty is continuously meeting those expectations. And we’re using Conscious Beauty as a way to showcase that and influence our partners,” said Monica Arnaudo, Ulta Beauty chief merchandising officer. “Retailers have a lot of influence in this area. We want to ensure that we’re meeting the customer’s needs, so our influence extends to our brand partners and manufacturers.” Though some retailers like Ulta and Credo are pushing their brand partners to adopt more sustainable solutions and packaging, it is not common across the board. Though retailers have traditionally often had the upper hand in the brand-retailer relationship, retailers are for the most part looking at their own products and operations before proposing changes to third-party brand partners. There are potential reasons for this, ranging from dodging accusations of performative greenwashing to preventing cries of hypocrisy from brands. But it is likely more about the general lack of options available to brands. Despite strides in sustainable packaging, there is no perfect solution and few alternatives that do not materially impact a brand’s packaging design, branding and bottom line. For example, Sephora’s 2019 goals and progress on sustainability predominantly focus on the retailer’s stores, distribution centers and corporate offices. The retailer is part of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and notes that it “encourages” brands to “embrace efficient [packaging] design” but doesn’t make it a requirement. Since late 2019, Sephora has piloted an in-store recycling program in Utah and Colorado. Customers who bring back three containers from any brand receive a 15% discount on Sephora Collection products. A Sephora spokesperson said there had been no changes or expansions to the pilot as of 2021. Additionally, Walgreen Boots Alliance only references its own private label brands and products, including beauty brands No.7 and Soap & Glory in a section dedicated to sustainable packaging. On Monday, Walgreen Boots Alliance repackaged its six beauty brands, including No.7, and Soap & Glory, into a new umbrella called the No.7 Beauty Company to drive digital marketing effectiveness and expansion. CVS’s sustainability strategy around products is mostly focused on its own private-label brands, too, said Joanne Dwyer, CVS vp of CSR and sustainability. This includes discontinuing the sale of single-use plastic straws, all plastic cutleries, and all Styrofoam cups, plates and bowls. CVS will stop shipping these items to stores by June of 2021. It will instead introduce alternative options such as paper straws and bamboo plates but will continue to sell national brands like Solo. The national retailer is undertaking an audit of its CVS-owned brand packaging to understand what is and is not recyclable, as well as what is recyclable but difficult to do. It will complete this audit in June 2021. The plan is to develop a set of recycling standards and guidelines for its brands that are printed on the label; CVS is currently rolling them out in a phased approach and plans to include them in its CSR report in 2022. “We don’t want to make a sustainable choice or a better-for-you choice that is difficult to make. From an access and cost standpoint, we would like to democratize sustainability,” said Dwyer. There are some brand sustainability partnerships that CVS has engaged with since 2020. CVS works with TerraCycle and brands like Gillette and Colgate twice a year to promote a takeback campaign. Customers can sign up online and ship their products directly to TerraCycle. CVS and TerraCycle then turn the waste received into materials used for playgrounds and rock walls; the playgrounds or rock walls are then built in locations where the highest volume of participation occurs. The Detox Market and Follain previously added TerraCycle bottle collection boxes in-store back in 2019. On Thursday, Credo debuted in all of its 10 stores a new in-store recycling program called Pact to collect hard-to-recycle packaging. “When something is difficult to recycle, we want to [experiment to] see if people will send back products if we provide the mechanism for them to do so,” said Dwyer. “It’s important for us to engage our suppliers and our industry peers. Many of the sustainability challenges that have emerged are industry [created]; we need to work as an industry to solve.”

Participating in the circular economy, in which businesses reuse materials, could help you reduce waste and attract customers.

BY ANNA MEYER@ANNAVMEYER     If your business isn't participating in the circular economy, you may want to spend part of Earth Day on Thursday asking yourself, "Why not?" While many companies follow a linear economy in which products are created, used, and thrown away, companies that participate in the circular economy continuously recycle and reuse their materials. It's designed to make doing business and combating climate change mutually beneficial. For many businesses, getting existing customers to remain loyal to their brand could require switching to a circular model. A 2020 study from IBM and the National Retail Federation found that 57 percent of U.S consumers are willing to change their purchasing habits to help reduce negative environmental impact. "Companies can't afford to not put the planet first," says Mera McGrew, founder of the soap company Soapply. "Companies that are not aligning with consumers' values will be left behind." Founded in 2015, Soapply bottles soap in recycled glass that can be refilled, reused, and recycled. The New York City-based company participates in the Loop program alongside brands like Gillette, Tide, and Clorox. Created by the recycling company TerraCycle, the program helps companies sell their products in reusable containers that are managed and cleaned by TerraCycle. Customers pay a refundable deposit for the reusable packaging.     Soapply.COURTESY COMPANY Many business owners think participating in the circular economy means more expenses, but doing so can actually save businesses money by reusing materials, says Kate Daly, managing director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, an investment firm in New York City. "Right now, many companies are only selling something once that they could be selling multiple times," Daly says. During the past three years, the Center for the Circular Economy has hosted competitions funded by brands including Starbucks, Walmart, and McDonald's to design sustainable alternatives to paper to-go cups and single-use plastic bags, with winners receiving funding and access to the center's accelerator program. Switching to a circular model also has benefits for hiring. Nearly 80 percent of respondents to a 2019 Glassdoor survey indicated that they would consider a business's mission when thinking about whether to apply for a job. When implementing sustainability initiatives, Daly advises auditing any plans from a user experience perspective to make sure that your solutions are convenient and accessible. You should also consider publishing a public sustainability report, as the Berlin, Germany-based meal delivery company HelloFresh did with its 2020 sustainability report. Included in the initiatives published in the report are goals to lower the company's carbon emissions by 60 percent per euro of revenue and to reduce food waste at its facilities by 50 percent per euro of revenue between 2019 and 2022. It also cited clear steps it's taking to use sustainable packaging. While it's important for companies to invest in sustainable practices, particularly when customers demand them, not all environmentally friendly initiatives are going to be a boon for business. "There's no point in creating a product or service, however 'green,' that customers don't adopt," Daly says, adding that business owners should reach out to other companies in their industry that have already made transitions to a circular economy. "I would encourage companies, regardless of their size, to not feel like they have to go it alone," Daly says. "Collaborating with stakeholders, whether it's in policy or consumer education, is really important so that a transition to circularity feels accessible no matter what."

While innovation in the beauty world often focuses on defying age or bringing out that elusive inner glow, the industry’s ugliest issue to tackle in 2021 is actually the amount of waste it generates. That pump on your favourite serum, for example, often includes so many parts that the entire product is non-recyclable, and that contributes to the almost 90 per cent of discarded plastics that end up in Canadian landfills every year.   “All that packaging, which is very durable and goes through intensive quality control – why couldn’t it be refilled?” wonders green beauty pioneer Tata Harper. “I think over all, [we’re] an industry that has a lot of work to do in terms of reusability.”   Harper is leading the way to more sustainably-packaged cosmetics, which isn’t surprising considering the eco-friendly approach to skin care she has developed over the past decade. A former industrial engineer, Harper founded her namesake brand in 2010 as a natural alternative to luxury skin-care labels such as La Mer. The brand evolved out of sourcing natural ingredients for her stepfather, who had been diagnosed with skin cancer. Today, she is beloved for her oils and serums, which are all produced on a 1,200-acre organic farm in Champlain Valley, Vt., where she’s lived since launching the business.   Sustainable packaging was baked in from the very beginning, with Harper’s products mostly bottled in glass and packaged in recycled paper boxes dyed with natural soy-based pigments. “Designing how you produce things for sustainability is incredibly important, because you reduce waste dramatically by controlling what and how you produce,” Harper says.   Harper’s latest product, the lightweight, silicone-free Water-Lock Moisturizer, is sold in a sustainable refill system that solves the pump conundrum by incorporating an inner pod that can be removed, recycled and replaced. The outer shell can continue functioning for up to two years.   “Cartridges and refill stations will soon become the norm – especially when it comes to skin and hair care,” says Sarah Jay, a sustainability expert behind the 2019 documentary Toxic Beauty. Last year, Unilever announced that 100 per cent of its plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Brands such as Gillette, The Body Shop and L’Occitane have partnered with recycling company TerraCycle on incentive programs that encourage customers to return empty products for recycling or refilling. “It is an absolute priority for brands to take responsibility for the waste they generate,” Jay says.   Harper points out that ensuring sustainability is an evolving process for beauty brands such as hers – and pre-empting the demands of the market has become an integral part of how she does business. “We’re never done learning,” she says. “There’s always something new and better to try, especially when it comes to packaging.”

How to dispose of razor blades – In most instances, it is okay to dispose of razor blades with your household trash.  However, you must take special safety measures into account to prevent injury to yourself or others.  Always check with your local municipality prior to disposal.   For this guide, we will cover some safe ways to prep your used razor blades for disposal along with places that can take your used blades should local laws prohibit household disposal.   Let’s take a look:   Note: Modern razor systems like those from Gillette or Schick, specifically disposable (hence the name) and cartridge razors can be thrown into the trash.  For additional safety, wrap the head of the razor in paper and staple shut.  

5 WAYS TO DISPOSE OF RAZOR BLADES

  Here’s how you can get rid of your used razor blades:  

1. SHOULD YOU TRASH’EM OR RECYCLE’EM?

  In most cases, razor blades should be safely disposed of in the trash rather than recycled.   But to ensure compliance and safety, always check with state and local guidelines.   To help you find accurate and relevant results, try searching in your preferred search engine the following:  

• Sharps disposal in [INSERT STATE or CITY]
• Razor blade disposal in [INSERT STATE or CITY]

  To give you an example of what to look for, this is what I found for New York, LA, and Wisconsin:  

• NYS Sharps Disposal
• NYC Sharps Disposal
• LA Sharps Disposal
• Wisconsin

  For NYC they go so far as to explicitly state that sharps/razor blades are thrown away “in a leak-proof, puncture-resistant container” with regular household trash.   We will touch on some solutions to ensure safe disposal in just a minute.   Interesting Fact: In 1990 the EPA estimated that Americans throw away 2 billion disposable razors and blades each year (source – page 11).  

2. CHECK YOUR LOCAL PHARMACY OR MEDICAL CENTER

  If you are hesitant about throwing used razor blades into the trash, then check with your local pharmacy, doctor’s office, or medical center.   Many, if not all of them should have a sharps disposal container for needle disposal.  Here you can simply ask if you can throw out your used razor blades – which they likely won’t have an issue with.   Again, just like city and state disposal guidance, some medical centers may actually encourage that you drop off your razor blades on your next medical visit as we found here.  

3. SHARPS COLLECTION DRIVE

  Some areas of the country may hold sharps or medical waste disposal drives regularly.  Again, a quick online search here may find some local results in your area that are worth checking out.   For example, here’s the collection schedule for Rockland County.  

4. PRIVATE COMPANY RECYCLING PROGRAM

  Some companies such as Gillette and BIC contract with the private recycling company TerraCycle where you can dispose of their used blades.   Depending on where you live, you may have a drop-off center not too far away:       If you don’t find anything nearby, then you can pay to have a box sent to you and dispose of your blades.  What’s unique about this company when compared to others is that the razor blades are recycled rather than completely disposed of.   You can learn more about TerraCycle here.  

5. WALL DISPOSAL INTO YOUR MEDICINE CABINET

  Some older homes or apartments will have a blade disposal slot in the back of the medicine cabinet.  Should your medicine cabinet have this, then you can simply slide the used blades into this slot.   However, if you ever do a bathroom renovation project or need to call a plumber just make sure that they are aware of this prior to doing any work to prevent accidental injury.   Should the disposed blades need to be removed, a good trick is to use a magnet or broom to pick them up rather than individually by hand.  Just make sure you wear appropriate safety gear as the blades will likely be rusty and still sharp.  

5 WAYS TO PREP SAFETY RAZOR BLADES FOR DISPOSAL

  Here are a few ways you store your used blades and prep them for safe disposal:  

1. WRAP THEM IN THE PAPER THEY ORIGINALLY CAME IN

    When you get a fresh set of blades, they will come individually wrapped.  Rather than throwing out that paper, hold onto it for disposal once your blade has started to dull.   Once wrapped into the paper, just take a piece of scotch tape or masking tape and go around it once to ensure that the blade doesn’t slide out:         While this method isn’t the safest, it is one that can work in a quick pinch, especially if you don’t have an empty container handy.  

2. BLADE BANKS ARE SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS PURPOSE

      Many razor blade brands make disposable containers that can safely store your used razor blades.  They feature a thin slot on the top of the container and can hold 100+ razor blades before they are full:         You can pick up a blade bank for less than $10 online.    

3. REPURPOSE AN OLD CONTAINER

  If you have children in your household or have children that visit often, then consider using an old medicine bottle or prescription pill bottle that has a child safety cap:       Many of these containers are wide enough to fit a razor blade with no issue.  Should the bottle be a bit more narrow, then you can simply snap the razor blade in half (make sure to wrap it in paper first), and then it should be able to fit easily.   Another DIY solution is taking an old plastic peanut butter jar and cutting a slit in the top and gluing the lid to the jar.   Other ideas of containers that can be used include the following:  

• Altoids tin
• Shaving cream tub (like a Taylor of Old Bond Street type)
• Soda can
• Soup can

    Generally, it’s best to avoid glass as it could break if thrown into the trash can.  

4. YOUR RAZOR BLADES MAY HAVE COME WITH A BLADE BANK

    Some razor brands will ship their blades in a small plastic container that fits about 10 blades (pictured above).   On the back of these containers, there is a thin plastic slot that you can slide used razor blades into.  Once fully loaded with your used blades, you can safely dispose of them.  If you want to be extra safe, put a piece of tape over the opening so no blades can slide out.  

5. REGARDLESS OF DISPOSAL METHOD – LABEL CLEARLY

  Whether you bring your used razor blades to a special disposal facility or they are thrown out with your household trash – make sure that you clearly put a label on the container by stating “SHARPS” or “USED RAZOR BLADES” with a bold permanent marker.  

WRAPPING IT ALL UP

  Shaving is fun, however, disposal of the blades must be done responsibly.   I hope that this article was helpful in providing some guidance so that you prevent injury to yourself and others.

Personal care products brand Gillette, known for its razors, set out to become a more sustainable company one decade again. And over the past 10 years, it has reduced its energy consumption by 392,851 gigajoules and its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent. The company has also reached zero-manufacturing-waste-to-landfill status across all of the plants in its global network. On Monday, Gillette announced its 2030 goals to uplevel its sustainability ambitions. Building on the 26 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions — and using a 2009-2010 baseline — Gillette plans to boost that number to a 50 percent reduction by 2030.