YouTubers are digging through the trash for free beauty products — but why are they there in the first place?

  Beauty with Mi, hosted by Refinery29's beauty writer Mi-Anne Chan, explores the coolest new trends, treatments, products, and subcultures in the beauty world. Never miss an episode by subscribing here.   Jessica Casler's one-bedroom apartment is packed to the brim with things she's found on the curb or at the bottom of trash cans. Glittery palettes, scented lotions, expensive hair tools, and fluffy makeup brushes are scattered across a table in her kitchen — the collective bounty of seven years of dumpster diving. I spot some familiar brands: Clinique, Sexy Hair, It Cosmetics, Anastasia Beverly Hills. Some of them have clearly been used, while others appear to be completely untouched. And she found all of it in the dumpsters behind the beauty store near her home in New Jersey.   Casler is part of a community of dumpster divers who share their finds on YouTube. In a world where hauls documenting new product purchases have become commonplace, dumpster diving videos serve as a type of "anti-haul," shedding light on cosmetic waste and breathing new life into products typically destined for landfills. Over the years, Casler has discovered thousands of dollars worth of products in the dumpsters behind stores like Ulta Beauty and Sally Beauty. A large number of these products are returns or testers, while others are leftovers from final sales. "The first time I went diving, I found a box that said 'returns or damaged,'" Casler says. "I pulled it out and inside was a bunch of nice product. I put it in my car and went home. Not every dive goes like that, but the first time was very successful." So, what happens with all the recovered products these divers bring home? Many people use the items themselves, but a growing number have taken to reselling them online in what's become a booming black market. Texas-based dumpster diver, Matt Malone, told Wired he could make upwards of $250,000 a year if he dedicated himself to dumpster diving full time. But he primarily sells electronic waste — and beauty products pose a much greater hazard. Because they're swiped directly onto skin, lips, and eyes, beauty products from the trash can put consumers at risk of contracting infectious diseases like staph, herpes, and E. coli, says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. Yes, even if you dip them in alcohol. "When I hear about sanitizing the applicator of a liquid lipstick, you're not sanitizing the liquid itself," he says. "Products that are liquid or in a moist environment creates an environment that allows for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms like fungi to grow." And even if the products still have their protective seal, there's an issue of efficacy. Some ingredients, such as retinol, are less effective if exposed to sunlight or high temperatures (like, say, a dumpster on a hot summer day). Others might be expired. "If you're looking at something like sunscreen and you're using it past its expiration date, that sunscreen filter isn't doing the job it should be doing. You're putting yourself at risk," Dr. Zeichner adds Legally speaking, dumpster diving occupies a gray area. Thanks to the 1988 Supreme Court case California v. Greenwood, the warrantless search and seizure of garbage left for collection outside of private property isn't prohibited by the Fourth Amendment. In short, individuals or businesses have no reasonable expectation of privacy for items that were discarded, which means dumpster diving, as long as it occurs on public property, is legal. Certain local ordinances, however, can prohibit the practice in some places.   Many divers feel the benefits of dumpster diving outweigh the risks, especially if it means pointing a finger at America's waste problem. "The first time I went dumpster diving, it was so eye opening," says Casler. "When people hear that I dumpster dive, they always wonder why. But there's so much more than that. I hate thinking that all that stuff is going to be unused and go to a landfill when it doesn't need to be."   If you search "beauty product dumpster diving" on YouTube, the videos with the highest views (some in the millions) are all from dives behind Ulta Beauty stores. When asked why the retailer instructs employees to throw products away, and their stance on dumpster diving in general, Ulta Beauty provided this statement:   "Health and safety is a top priority for Ulta Beauty and we strongly discourage the unsafe, and sometimes illegal practice of “dumpster diving.” We are aware that individuals sometimes assume the risks associated with this practice and retrieve discarded products. Ulta Beauty, like other retailers, disposes of products for a reason. Products that are damaged, used, expired or otherwise unsaleable or unsuitable for donation are disposed of in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. These products should never be retrieved or used."   It's understandable that stores need to dispose of their unsalable product, especially if it poses a potential health concern. That's why some retailers have asked their employees to destroy makeup to keep it out of the hands of divers, including taking a knife to powders, cutting up lipsticks, or tossing foundation over makeup. This practice has become known in the dumpster diving community as "souping."     But while souping might deter dumpster divers, it doesn't solve the greater issue of waste — and that's a conversation that starts at the top. Beyond brands making efforts to create refillable makeup, eco-friendly packaging, and practice low-impact production, retailers and brands need to take better steps to recycle unused products. But because a large majority of beauty product packaging can't be processed in municipal recycling centers (pumps, pipettes, and some tubes don't qualify, for example), that often means bringing in third-party recycling organizations.   TerraCycle, which specializes in hard-to-recycle materials, is one such organization that works with major beauty brands like Garnier, Burt's Bees, and Tom's of Maine. The Garnier program, which is TerraCycle's longest standing beauty partnership, has diverted over 11.3 million pieces of waste from landfills. Says Gina Herrera, the US brand partnerships director at TerraCycle, it's high time for retailers to start thinking about the end of life of their products — and it's something consumers want, too; more than 66% of global consumers report they would pay more for a sustainable product.   Despite the obvious wasted product, many stores have made steps toward a more sustainable future. Ulta Beauty, for example, has created a Corporate Energy Team which reduced the store's electric consumption by over 3,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. The store also makes an effort to recycle cardboard and plastic shrink wrap. But there's a long way to go across the industry.   At the consumer level, there's a responsibility to make smarter purchasing decisions, too. Beyond choosing to support sustainable brands, it's also important to consider returns. While it's great that stores allow customers to return used makeup, this means that they're also required to throw that product away for obvious health and hygiene reasons. This contributes exorbitantly to the waste created by retailers, as consumers lean more heavily on generous policies — especially with the rise of e-commerce which doesn't always allow for testing.   In an attempt to really wrap my mind around the sheer amount of waste the beauty industry produces, I accompanied Casler on a midnight dive. As Casler and I sifted through a dumpster behind a strip mall near her home, we found two boxes full of products. Next to a bag of what smelled like the store's food waste, we spotted dozens of discounted hairsprays, hair gels, and dye. In a box a few inches away, we found a complete set of powder acrylic polish, body lotion, and shampoo. "Oh, this is that good shampoo for blondes," Casler said as she sifted through the bottles. While there was definitely a thrill in discovering products, it was coupled with dread over witnessing the sheer amount of waste from a single day.   While dumpster diving might look like a niche pastime, the community of divers are actually bringing up a much larger conversation about ethical consumption and corporate responsibility. And if the climate reports have shown us anything, it's that companies and consumers need to take responsibility for the impact they've having on the world — and soon.   When asked what she'd like to see from the dumpster diving community in the future, Casler looked me dead in the eye and told me she hopes it doesn't even exist. "You wouldn't even want to dumpster dive, because everything would have a home."        

Every time I get through a bottle my favorite Givenchy Matissime Velvet foundation, I pick a new one up from Sephora and throw the old one in the trash bin in my bathroom. I usually don’t think twice about the fact that beauty products, much like products found in your kitchen, can sometimes be recycled. I’m not alone in this. In a study found by Unilever, in 2015, 42% of Americans didn’t recycle their bathroom products because they didn’t know if they were eligible for recycling, and 27% didn’t think their bathroom products would actually get recycled. SEE ALSO: So who’s winning the K-Beauty war? The skepticism and confusion aren’t unwarranted. Most recyclables aren’t immediately made into new products. When they’re picked up from your curb, they’re sold to facilities that can recycle them. What’s worse: historically, the U.S. and most other Western countries have sold their recyclables to China. Since January of 2018, China has refused to import waste from other countries for the protection of its population and environment. According to NPR, a lot of the waste which was previously recycled by China is just ending up in landfills, or being sent to countries that don’t have the proper infrastructure to deal with it. Besides the political factors making recycling difficult, the process of recycling beauty products can be tricky. “Bottles for shampoo and detergent are considered ‘high-density polyethylene’ and are generally regarded as safe to recycle at your local facility,” says Sophia Gushee, author of “A to Z of D-Toxing,” told Fashionista. However, nail polish is known for its toxic qualities and harmful chemicals, so disposing of it is not as easy as just tossing it away in the trash or recycling bin. Though beauty brands are putting more focus on sustainability and reducing their ecological footprints, it’s really hard to know how to recycle products that aren’t made out of traditional plastic or aluminum. So what can you do to ensure your beauty products are actually recycled? Read on, below. That’s right, clean them – but it doesn’t have to be squeaky clean. According to Self, if you don’t clean out your containers before recycling them, then they won’t get sorted properly. This means that for all the conscious effort you put in, they’ll just end up getting tossed. Further, every city has different rules when it comes to what materials can be recycled, so just because you could recycle one beauty product in New York, doesn’t mean you can do the same in LA. Check your city’s regulations for that.   You’re in the clear To make matters more complicated, odd-colored materials are difficult to recycle. Meaning, recycling facilities really only have the capability to sort clear, brown, and green plastics, so if your moisturizer comes in a pink plastic container, think twice before tossing it in the recycling bin. Finally, squeezable tubes (like toothpaste), pumps, and droppers (basically every serum ever) should be thrown in the trash can because recycling facilities don’t have the infrastructure to properly recycle them. Moral of the story is this: If you want to be green, you shouldn’t buy containers that come in beautiful colors no matter how beautiful you #shelfies turn out to be. When in doubt The downside to recycling incorrectly is that even though you’re making the effort to separate your items and put them in the recycling bin, they still end up in a landfill. But fret not, if you have a beauty product you have no idea how to recycle, you can send it to a company that does. It’s called Terracycle, a company that hopes to do this all for you. All you have to do is drop off your difficult to recycle waste at a Terracycle drop off point, or mail it to them in one of their zero-waste boxes. Give it away If you’re going to make the effort to recycle, make sure you’re doing it the right way. The whales and turtles – and us fellow humans – will thank you.

Tom Szaky has been working on waste since his undergrad days at Princeton in 2001. Then I suddenly heard about him from many sources in the past few months.   His company, TerraCycle, recycles waste others don't. The new initiative, Loop, got attention at Davos and support from many companies whose business plans depend on producing waste, within an economic model that promotes growth. He also published a book, the Future of Packaging, coauthored by top executives from these waste and growth places. I wrote more notes from that book to prepare for this conversation than any book, including Bob Langert's, McDonald's former head of Corporate Social Responsibility (that episode is still being edited).   It never mentioned reducing consumption, twisting, as I saw it, the idea to reducing material per package. Almost no one gets the subtle but critical distinction between efficiency and total waste. Our polluted world is the result of centuries of increasing efficiency and total waste. Nearly every initiative extends that trend, missing that efficiency in a polluting system leads to more efficient pollution.   His book did talk about responsibility, the counter to our system's goal of externalizing costs. So the book missed the most important part of handling waste, reducing supply and demand, but got responsibility. I wondered if he was serious or yet another person confusing feeling like you're reducing waste while increasing it, the way the Watt steam engine did, Uber does, widening roads does, and LED bulbs look on track to.   You'll hear from this conversation that, as best I can tell, he understands the system issues and the need for systemic change. For the rest, listen. He understands and seems to be acting for systemic change.   I hope this conversation is the first of many, not just to hear about his personal challenge, which is pretty big, at least to me. I still eat cheese, about the amount on one pizza slice per year. Actually, it's been decreasing annually. Maybe I'll use his action as inspiration.   I'm glad he got and explained the reasons behind reduction and explained why his book didn't touch it. I've heard enough to believe he understands the most important directions and changes. I don't know enough about the details of Terracycle and Loop to tell if I think they'll work.   It's refreshing to talk to someone who understands the key issues.

Mountain House

Mountain House has been with us since the beginning and we’re excited to have them back! If you’ve seen us at an event, then there’s no doubt you’ve gone home with a sample or two of a tasty Mountain House meal. Mountain House has a lot of exciting things in the works this year but what we’re most excited for is their partnership with TerraCycle to offer a FREE recycling program for their used pouches. TerraCycle is an innovative recycling company that specializes in giving new life to hard-to-recycle products. For those who can make it out to Appalachian Trail Day’s, bring us your empty pouch and we’ll give you a new one and recycle your old one!

Currently, Michigan has a recycling rate of 15 percent, one of the lowest in the nation. According to a 2016 report by the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum and Grand Valley State University, most material being disposed of in landfills can be easily recycled and totals nearly $56 million in economic value and 370 jobs. We’ve put together a guide on how to recycle almost everything in your home so you can know exactly what to put in your curbside recycle bin and what to do with everything else in between. Aluminum  

  Clean metal objects such as tin cans, aerosol cans and tin foil and license plates can be placed in your city recycling bin. Ammunition, Explosives or Fireworks   

  Dispose of ammunition, explosives and fireworks at the Kent County Sheriff’s Department. Appliances  

  Habitat for Humanity, In the Image, Padnos, South Kent Recycling & Waste Center, Salvation Army of West Michigan and Nortern Indiana, North Kent Recycling & Waste Center accept used appliances. Batteries  

  Allendale True Value, Batteries Unlimited, Kent County Department of Public Worksand your local library accepts rechargeable batteries. Grand Rapids Iron and Metal, A-1 Electric and Advanced Autoparts stores will accept car batteries for recycling. Hearing aids and hearing aid batteries may be recycled through Lions Hearing & Speech Improvement Program, Starkey Hearing Foundation and Quota International – Hear for Good Program. Advanced Technology Recycling (ATR), Batteries Unlimited, and Comprenew accept cell phone batteries. Books  

  Paperback books (including phone books) may be reycled in your curbside container. For hardcover books, consider donating to the Grand Rapids Public Library Friends of the Library program or the Kent District Library. Building and Painting Supplies  

  Oil-based paint, stain and lacquer, adhesive, caulking and glue, deck, patio and chimney cleaner, furniture stripper, paint stripper and remover, solvent cleaning fluid, roof coating, sealant, thinner and turpentine may be disposed of through the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program. Click here for information on drop-off and collection days Car Seats  

  Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital offers car seat recycling at a number of locations at periodic days and times (appointments are required). Click here for more information.   Cardboard  

  Flaten pizza boxes, moving boxes and packaging boxes before placing in your curbside recycling bin. Cartons  

  Rinsed our creamer cartons, juice boxes, soy milk, almond milk, wine boxes, boxed water, juice cartons, soup and broth boxes, milk cartons and Tetra Pak cartons can all be placed in your curbside recycling bin. To recycle the cap, put it back on the carton before placing in the bin. Carpet  

  FIBR Carpet Recycling accepts all types of carpet tiles and offers free carpet reclamation services for bulk recycling projects. Cleaning Products  

  Laundry bleach, degreaser, spot remover, drain cleaner, lye, oven cleaner, polish, wax, toilet & drain cleaner, tub, tile, shower cleaner, wood and metal cleaners and polish,ammonia and other household cleaners may be disposed of through the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program. Click here for information on drop-off and collection days. Clothing and Textiles  

  In the Image, St. Vincent DePaul, Public Thread, North Kent Community Services, Salvation Army of West Michigan and Northern Indiana, and Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids accepts donations of gently used clothing. Cosmetics  

  Many beauty brands offer recycling programs. Garnier and Origins accept packaging and containers from any brand for recycling. MAC, Lush and Kiehls each offer various reward programs for returning their packaging and empty containers for recycling. Electronics  

  Comprenew, North Kent Recycling & Waste Center, Advanced Technology Recycling (ATR), South Kent Recycling & Waste Center accept computer, phone, cameras and other electronics for recycling. Flammable Products  

  Diesel fuel, gas/oil mix or gasoline, home heating oil, kerosene, lighters, lighter fluid, antifreeze/engine coolant, small, refillable propane tanks, white gas andother flammable products may be disposed of through the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program. Click here for information on drop-off and collection days. Glass Bottles  

  Clean bottles can be placed in your city recycling bin. Glass Windows and Doors  

  Habitat for Humanity accepts gently used windows and doors. Glasses  

  Cascade Engineering acceps used sunglasses, glasses or bifocals. Ink Cartridges  

  Cascade Engineering, Valley City Electronic Recycling and Advanced Technology Recycling accept spent ink cartridges. Indoor Pesticides  

  Insect spray, flea repellent and shampoo, houseplant fertilizer, moth repellent, mouse and rat poisons and baits and other pesticides can disposed of through the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program. Click here for information on drop-off and collection days. Lawn and Garden Products  

  Fertilizer, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, pesticide, wood preservative, ant dust, mosquito spray, and other lawn and garden products may be disposed of through the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program. Click here for information on drop-off and collection days. Mattresses  

  If the mattress you would like to dispose of is in decent condition, consider donating it to a second-hand store, such as Salvation Army of West Michigan and Northern Indiana or Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids. Paper  

  Papers, envelopes, paper bags, magazines, cereal & cracker boxes, phone books, soft cover books, newspapers, paper egg cartons, paper towel tubes & shredded paper in a tied, clear plastic bag can be placed in your curbside recycling bin. Plastic Bags  

  To recycle plastic shopping bags in your curbside bin, make sure bags are clean and dry and put all bags inside one bag and tie it shut. School Supplies  

  Crayons may be recycled through The Crayon Initiative. For information on shipping old crayons or starting your own collection site, click here. Crayola Colorful Marker Recycling accepts Crayola brand markers for recycling. Click here for more information. Shoes  

  Donate your gently used shoes to a second-hand store, such as Salvation Army of West Michigan and Northern Indiana, Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids or Mel Trotter Ministries. Additionally, recycle your old running shoes at a Gazelle Sports location. Six-Pack Rings  

  Six-pack rings are not accepted in curbside recycling. Ring Leader, a national recycling program, accepts six-pack rings. Click here to sign up for a ring leader kit. Smoke Detectors  

  To recycle your smoke detector, contact the manufacturer. Sports Equipment  

  Donate your used sports equipment to a second-hand store such as Salvation Army of West Michigan and Northern Indiana, Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids, Bethany’s Thrift Stores or Play It Again Sports. String Lights  

  Holidayleds.com has a free mail-in recycling program. Once your package is sent, the company will send you a coupon for 15 percent off their inventory. Styrofoam  

  Arvron accepts non-food, clean, block style Styrofoam. Michigan Foam accepts non-food, clean, dry, white-beaded style Styrofoam. Sealed Air will take bubble wrap, air pillow packaging, Instapak foam packaging and polyethylene foam packaging. Harbor Foam will take clean, white styrofoam, but not packing peanuts. Toothbrushes and Toothpaste  

  Toothbrushes and toothpaste can be recycled through the Colgate Care Recycling Program, a partnership between TerraCycle and Colgate. For information how to ship your used items, click here. Wine Corks  

  ReCork, a national cork recycling program, accepts cork drop-offs at a number of local places, including Art of the Table, Terra GR, and Houlihan’s Grand Rapids.

#20. Wyoming

Scraping leftovers into a compost pile might not sound like a vacation activity, but on Natural Habitat Adventures’ new seven-day Yellowstone safari, composting is as essential to the experience as camping or hiking. While expert naturalists guide you in search of bison and wolf pups, you’ll also be on an industry-first zero-waste expedition. You’ll drink from reusable water bottles and dine on locally sourced food sans single-use plastics like straws, plates, and cups. Everything that can’t be composted or recycled locally is hauled back to the company’s headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, to be recycled, upcycled, or handed off to TerraCycle, an innovative company that specializes in the reuse of otherwise unprocessable waste. The hope is that the trip will inspire you with the landscape and wildlife while fostering habits you can take home. From $5,695 —S.P.