What to do with the copious amounts of bathroom products we consume? Do you recycle your empty products such as shampoo and conditioner bottles, aerosol cans, toilet rolls and cosmetic packaging? All of these can be recycled in your home recycling bin with the exception of cosmetic packaging, which can be done through a new program developed by
Terracycle and L'Oreal Australia.
Check out my latest campaign to collect your bathroom clutter – old makeup, expired bottles of anything and even your old toothbrush and turn them into something new!!
Demand for cosmetics is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. TerraCycle chief executive officer Tom Szaky highlights how consumers can demand that their favourite brands reduce waste from cosmetic products and packaging.
Beauty and cosmetic packaging poses a challenge when it comes to recycling. It is complex by nature, and is typically made out of a denser, harder type of plastic that can be difficult to recycle, with multiple materials often used in the one product.
Bathroom drawers around the world are straining under the weight of half-used lipsticks, barely touched eyeshadow palettes and dried-up mascaras that are usually months (if not years) past their
expiry date. These products, once finally discarded by their owners, have typically ended up in landfill — adding to the already enormous strain on the environment. The good news is you can now recycle your used beauty, hair and skincare products, and it won't cost you a cent.
L'Oréal Australia has partnered with TerraCycle to launch a collection and recycling service for consumers. Beauty and personal care packaging from any company can be taken to a collection point and recycled for free.
"TerraCycle's focus is taking traditionally unrecyclable products and making them recyclable to divert as much waste as possible from landfill," Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, told
The Huffington Post Australia.
