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Environmental group in Ontario aims to collect one million cigarette butts in April

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) CA RBH Cig Recycling
 
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Uxbridge, Ont., resident Eilish Neilly has had a love for planet Earth from a young age, and she is now heading a cigarette butt cleanup team in her hometown. This winter, Neilly found herself out of work, and when a volunteer opportunity came up with A Greener Future, an organization that works with local communities to promote environmental preservation, she jumped at the chance to join the team. “I love doing work with non-profit and charities,” says Neilly, “and I was excited to get the role as a communications assistant with A Greener Future.” Neilly studied environmental management at the University of Guelph and has always found volunteering for the environment to be a rewarding activity. When the Butt Blitz project came up, Neilly signed on as a co-ordinator and based her team out of her hometown of Uxbridge.
A Greener Future started the Butt Blitz in 2015, and in its six years running, volunteers have picked up more than one million cigarette butts. The collected butts are all sent to an organization called TerraCycle, where they can be properly recycled and used to create industrial items such as park benches and plastic pallets. This year, the organization is taking on its biggest goal yet – to pick up one million butts in the month of April alone. Currently, it has reached a little over a third of its goal, and it’s looking for a strong finish to the month-long cleanup project. Neilly has a team of about 11 volunteers, and so far they have already collected around 30,000 cigarette buts in Uxbridge alone. “Once you start looking for them, you really can’t ever un-see it,” says Neilly. “Although it sometimes feels like your impact is really small, I know that if a lot of people get on it we can make a difference.” The project is usually run as a single-day blitz along the shore of Lake Ontario, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was modified this year to a month-long, community-based project. With the success of this project, Neilly suspects it might continue in a similar fashion next year. “There’s often a lot of shame that goes along with litter, but with cigarette butts it just seems to be perceived as more normal,” says Neilly. “I think that’s because people don’t really know what’s in the butts. There is actually plastic inside the filter, people often think it’s cotton or a natural fibre. With that plastic comes a lot of other issues over time when it’s left in our environment.”
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Programa recicla 2 milhões de esponjas e ajuda instituições pelo Brasil

TerraCycle Include Brazil scotch-brite
A esponja de lavar louça tradicional, de espuma, é feita de poliuretano e outros componentes químicos sintéticos que levam séculos para se decompor. Com o intuito de transformar o resíduo em matéria-prima para novos produtos —como baldes, vasos, lixeiras e pás de lixo, entre outros—, um programa nacional de reciclagem coletou 16 toneladas de esponjas usadas e ajudou mais de 400 organizações sem fins lucrativos pelo Brasil.
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11 best sustainable bathroom products to replace plastic in 2021

TerraCycle Include USA zero waste box DivaCup
Many people tend to overlook their plastic footprint in the bathroom — here are some plastic-free and zero waste alternatives for an eco-friendly space.
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In 2018, 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic were made for packaging personal care and beauty products used primarily in the bathroom.knape / Getty Images ; by Humankind
April 23, 2021, 1:52 PM EDT
By Mili Godio, Shop TODAY
Whether it involves personal care, grooming, beauty or just general privacy, the bathroom is a space that’s varied in its use, but we tend to overlook the amount of single-use plastic and paper products we use in that space compared to other spaces in our homes. A 2014 report from Johnson & Johnson’s Care to Recycle initiative found that 95 percent of people self-report recycling in their kitchen, but only half report recycling in their bathroom. The most common reason? Lack of recycling bins — not interest. Daniel Esty, JD, a professor of environmental law and policy at Yale and an expert in corporate sustainability, previously told us that shoppers are increasingly aware of where their purchases come from and their environmental impact, and many companies aim to follow suit with environmental standards nods from nonprofits like Climate Neutral and B Lab. Our everyday plastic use has skyrocketed over time, with the packaging of cosmetics and food in the U.S. accounting for 82.2 million tons, or 28 percent of total waste generation in 2018, more than 120 times what was being produced in 1960, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Nearly 70 percent of that plastic waste is sitting in landfills. Finding the right alternatives to plastic and non-reusable products popularly used in the bathroom, such as deodorant, toothbrushes and makeup wipes, can help reduce the waste produced and thrown into landfills.
The most environmentally-conscious decision is always to reduce your overall consumption and buy less when possible. ALEX PAYNE, PUBLICIST, TERRACYCLE

How to reduce plastic use in your bathroom

When you “absolutely need” to buy new beauty products, strive for “reusable and refillable options,” said Alex Payne, a publicist at recycling and waste management company TerraCycle. “Look out for package-free options or, when all else fails, simple packaging that is easier to recycle like metal or glass rather than combinations of materials,” he suggested. Packaging made from organic and biodegradable materials are eco-friendly alternatives, like sustainable-sourced bamboo (not grown in areas that were deforested for the purpose of growing bamboo) since it grows quickly. Even if your plastic shampoo container or glass lotion bottle is technically recyclable in your community, the packaging could still make its way to the landfill if it contains residue or non-recyclable materials. Payne suggested rinsing out the packaging before putting it in your bin. “The presence of any residual product may force municipal recyclers to redirect it to the landfill, so it won’t contaminate the otherwise recyclable material in the process,” he said. “Also, be sure to check with your local recycling center what they can and cannot recycle before tossing your packaging into the recycling bucket.” Online resources like Recycle Coach or Call2Recycle can let you know what recyclables are accepted in your area.

Best sustainable bathroom products in 2021

Whether you’re upgrading in moderation or completely revamping your bathroom into an eco-friendly space, we’ve compiled some highly rated and sustainable bathroom products to consider.
Made from 100 percent bamboo, Cloud Paper’s 3-ply toilet paper is an eco-friendly alternative to tree-based toilet paper. According to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, “Tissue products made from bamboo release 30 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than tissue made from virgin wood.” Cloud Paper products, including Cloud Bamboo Paper Towels, are 100 percent plastic free (typical in packaging) and source paper from manufacturers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, according to the brand. You can get Cloud Paper products via a one-time purchase or subscribe to receive refills every two, three or four months.
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TUSHY Classic Bidet Toilet Seat Attachment

If you’re hoping to cut down on your use of toilet paper altogether, a bidet toilet seat attachment is a sustainable (and more affordable) option. This bidet by TUSHY takes approximately 10 minutes to install and includes a nozzle adjuster and pressure control knob to adjust the angle and water pressure for convenience. The brand claims the bidet cuts your toilet paper usage by 80 percent and leaves you feeling cleaner.

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DivaCup

Sanitary pads and tampons tend to incorporate a lot of plastic, both in their packaging and the material used to make them. DivaCup’s menstrual cups are made from medical grade silicone with no chemicals, dyes or plastic, and they’re totally reusable — the brand says the DivaCup can be used for up to a year with routine cleaning, and worn for up to 12 hours depending on your menstrual flow. Menstrual cups like the DivaCup are not only a less wasteful alternative to pads and tampons, but they’re also more affordable. A 2019 study published in peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet found that, over time, menstrual cups cost “a small fraction” of the price of regular tampons and sanitary pads, and they produce much less plastic waste compared to other period products.   Capture 100.PNG 

Schick Xtreme 3 Eco-Glide Disposable Razor

This men’s razor by Schick is a fully recyclable disposable razor that comes in recyclable packaging. According to the brand, it’s the first disposable razor on the market made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. It features an ergonomic grip without rubber and Aloe lubricant for sensitive skin. Schick also launched a recycling program that lets people mail in their eligible Schick razors for free so that the brand can properly recycle them.   Capture 101.PNG

EcoRoots Shampoo Bars

If you’re hoping to eliminate your use of plastic shampoo bottles, these package-free shampoo bars from EcoRoots are offered in seven scents (one unscented option) and last for more than 50 washes each, according to the brand. They're vegan, color-safe, travel friendly and 100 percent plastic-free and package-free. EcoRoots also offers conditioner bars that’ll make your hair care routine more eco-friendly.   Capture 102.PNG

Isshah Bamboo Charcoal Toothbrushes

While the nylon bristles of this toothbrush aren’t biodegradable (and need to be thrown away separately), the handles on these bamboo toothbrushes will decompose in your home or in an industrial setting, which makes them a great alternative to plastic toothbrushes you throw out every few months. They come in a pack of four and the packaging is 100 percent biodegradable.   Capture 103.PNG 

Jenny Patinkin Pure Luxury Organic Bamboo Reusable Cosmetic Rounds

“Completely redesigning one’s beauty routine may seem daunting so individuals are encouraged to start with simply swapping out disposable makeup wipes and sponges with durable, multi-use alternatives that can be washed and used again,” suggested TerraCycle’s Alex Payne. These reusable rounds by makeup artist Jenny Patinkin are made from organic bamboo and are fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, antibacterial and antimicrobial. Reusable cosmetic rounds and wipes are also a great alternative for single-use makeup wipes which, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, typically contain non-biodegradable materials that take a long time to break down in a landfill. You can also opt for reusable and gently exfoliating muslin cloths.   Capture 104.PNG

Myro Refillable Deodorant

Myro offers seven different colored cases that you can refill with your choice of deodorant from nine scented, recyclable deodorant pods. The case is refillable — you can buy another pod and simply snap it in place. The case is dishwasher safe, so you can keep it continuously clean as you reuse it or fill it with a new scent. You can also pick a subscription plan, which costs $10 for your first month’s starter kit, $40 for your first refill box with four deodorant pods of each scent and $30 for all refills after that (which you can get every three, four or six months).   Capture 105.PNG 

Dental Lace Refillable Dental Floss

If you’re looking for an alternative to plastic-packaged dental floss, this refillable 33-yard spool of dental floss is made from mulberry silk that is entirely biodegradable and coated with plant-based candelilla wax. The refill spool comes in a polylactide acid bag created from the lactic acid in plants. According to the brand, the floss composts in three to six months at a commercial facility and six to 10 months in homestyle bins.   Capture 106.PNG

By Humankind Bamboo Cotton Swabs

The Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit advocacy group, reports that 8 million metric tons of plastic went into the ocean in 2020, and single-use plastic-stemmed cotton swabs are part of the problem. Although popular cotton swab brand Q-tips has officially transitioned to biodegradable paper sticks in recent years (its packaging, however, is only partially recyclable), bamboo cotton swabs like these from By Humankind are 100 percent biodegradable and come in a fully recyclable packaging. When you finish the pack, you can recycle the paper tube and compost the cotton swabs at home or in an industrial composting facility.   Capture 107.PNG

TerraCycle Zero Waste Bathroom Separation Box

TerraCycle developed the Zero Waste Box program as an at-home or in-store recycling solution for difficult-to-recycle products. A business or shopper selects a Zero Waste Box from the online shop, fills the box with the appropriate waste stream and then ships the box back to TerraCycle with a prepaid shipping label. While there are 10 different box options depending on the items collected (safety equipment, kitchen items and coffee capsules, for instance), the Bathroom Separation Box allows you to separate bath and shower accessories, cleaning accessories, health care packaging, storage containers, personal care accessories and other packaging for recycling. The collected plastic is cleaned, melted and formed into plastic pellets that can then be recycled into new plastic products such as park benches and picnic tables. Collected metals are smelted and remolded to make other metal-based products. “TerraCycle developed the Zero Waste Box program as a solution to bridge the gap between what is not accepted through local municipal recycling,” said TerraCycle’s Alex Payne. “This gives users the freedom to recycle all brands of a specific waste stream.”   Capture 108.PNG

Should you reduce plastic use in your bathroom?

The beauty and personal care industry is a major culprit of our heavy plastic footprint — 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic were made for packaging personal care and beauty products like hand soap, face wash, razors and shampoo in 2018, according to the most recent data from Euromonitor International, a market research company based in London, England. And a study by Zero Waste Europe found that 120 billion units of plastic packaging are produced by the beauty industry globally each year. With the market size of the industry expected to jump from $81.1 billion in 2019 to $128.7 billion by 2030, transitioning to more eco-friendly and zero waste bathroom products can be a worthwhile investment with an eye toward the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. “The old saying we learned as school children, ‘reduce, reuse and recycle,’ is just as relevant as it was back then,” said Payne. “The most environmentally-conscious decision is always to reduce your overall consumption and buy less when possible.”
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2021’s Best New Sustainable Beauty Products Have Circularity in Mind

TerraCycle Include USA Loop Burt’s Bees Noice Ulta Beauty Meow Meow Tweet Dermalogica Mad Hippie
With language like “circular” and “climate-positive” swirling around the best sustainable beauty brands of 2021, this is the year to consider your relationship with “wish-cycling.” If you haven’t heard the term, you might already be doing it. “Tossing stuff in the curbside bin and hoping for the best” is how Mia Davis, Credo’s VP of impact and sustainability, defines it. That said, the problem starts long before your wish-cycling. “Brands and municipal recycling facilities don't usually offer guidance, and a lot of plastic beauty packaging doesn't even have resin identification code on it,” says Davis, pointing out that in 2018, an estimated 120 billion units of cosmetics packaging were produced globally. “Most beauty products are packaged in plastic—think of all of the plastic compacts, lipsticks, squeezable tubes, jars, caps and pumps...but only about nine percent of plastic is recycled.” When the rest is incinerated, landfilled, or dumped, and consumers are scream-requesting that Big Beauty recognizes and reforms its role in this wasteful cycle, industry experts are addressing the issue in a number of ways. Credo's Sustainable Packaging Guidelines require brands to share accurate disposal instructions with customers, plus eliminate single-use packaging by the first of June. That means no more sheet masks, makeup wipes, treatment pads, or tiny sample packets (an industry first, according to Davis). Plus, a new Pact Collective recycling program launches today, bringing beauty stakeholders together “to take responsibility for the impacts of our packaging.” Pact Bins will be available inside Credo (US) and Hudson's Bay (Canada) stores so that specialty recyclers can handle and reuse materials from products dropped inside. For the Loop by Ulta Beauty project via Terracycle (the company making it easier than ever to do the right thing for “hard-to-recycle” pieces), Heather Crawford, Loop’s VP of marketing and platform, explains that the goal is to move beyond recycling and into reusing. “It’s actually about reducing the amount of raw materials that need to be constantly extracted, processed, produced, and transported time and time again to create a new unit of disposable packaging,” she says. Crawford works directly with brands to figure out ways to hygienically clean existing packaging to refill and redistribute it, or to design new models (like Dermalogica’s minimalist stainless steel bottles or Burt’s Bees’ counter-worthy cleanser vessels) that can meet extended lifecycle requirements. “Our minimum threshold for using a package on the platform is 10 cycles, and often in a really durable material like glass, it can go around up to hundreds of times,” Crawford says. They’ve also revolutionized the delivery method, with orders arriving in a durable, padded tote that customers can store until they reload it with empties and have it picked up directly from home. No more bubble wrap, paper sleeves, and throwaway fluff. Of course, packaging isn’t the only thing that makes a product circular or conscious. Factors like production methods, clean energy, harvesting techniques, and ingredient sourcing all play into a mission to improve wasteful or unethical practices. Below, an assortment of products that are stepping (with large and small strides) into the sustainable future:

Izzy Zero Waste Mascara

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Izzy Zero Waste Mascara

$39 IZZY SHOP NOW Touting itself as “the world’s first zero waste mascara,” Izzy’s just-launched mascara is reusable, recyclable, and CarbonNeutral®. Thanks to a medical-grade stainless steel tube designed to be refilled again and again, once the formula runs out, it can be dropped in a multi-use mailer (where even the shipping process is zero-waste).

Circumference Daily Regenerative Gel Cleanser

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Circumference Daily Regenerative Gel Cleanser

$48 CIRCUMFERENCE SHOP NOW The main bioactive ingredient in this cleanser, olive leaf extract, is a byproduct (meaning otherwise unusable) from a family-run California farm’s olive harvest. Circumference utilizes the olive leaves that would have otherwise been biowaste to carefully (and with a chemical-free method) extract potent actives, then returns the mulch to the farm to be used as compost for a circular production system.

Rose Hermes Silky Blush Powder Refill

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Rose Hermès Silky Blush Powder Refill

$48 HERMES PARIS SHOP NOW A marriage of high fashion and forward-looking logic, Hermes’s blush refill comes with a tiny key that can be inserted to pop out the powder pan and replace it with a new one. Perfect for the consumer who isn’t ready to forgo design for a category as aesthetically focused as beauty.

MOB Cake Liner

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MOB Cake Liner

$18 MOB BEAUTY SHOP NOW “Check out MOB Beauty, a new DTC brand founded by my Pact Collective co-founder (and part of the original MAC team), Victor Casale,” Davis suggests. “Their packaging is simple and beautiful, sustainable and refillable—and made by our other founding member of Pact, Element Packaging.” The compacts are reusable and created with post consumer recycled PET, which the brand notes is the most easily recyclable resin.

Meow Meow Tweet Baking Soda Free Grapefruit Deodorant Cream

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Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Cream

$14 MEOW MEOW TWEET SHOP NOW “If a brand was already packaging a product in a glass jar, something which can actually be reused, in some cases we’re taking this packaging type and reusing it instead of recycling them,” says Crawford. “Meow Meow Tweet, for example, has some of their deodorant creams in little glass jars that are professionally cleaned and then ready for reuse rather than being sent to recycling when you buy them through the LOOP by Ulta platform.”

Mab & Stoke Daily Defense Face Oil

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Mab & Stoke Daily Defense Face Oil

$72 MAB & STOKE SHOP NOW Made with wild harvested ingredients, Mab & Stoke’s team works alongside United Plant Savers on their mission to conserve and restore medicinal plants and habitats. All packaging is compostable, reusable or recyclable, and a tree is planted with every order in partnership with American Forests.

The Handmade Soap Company ANAM Refill

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The Handmade Soap Company Anam Wash Refill

$18 THE HANDMADE SOAP COMPANY SHOP NOW While the full version features a luxury glass, zero-plastic, refillable bottle, this refill wash comes in what the brand describes as “the world’s first compostable refill” designed to biodegrade in six weeks with industrial composting.

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum

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Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum

$34 MAD HIPPIE SHOP NOW “We were very excited to have Mad Hippie,” says Crawford of partnering with the beauty brand to better utilize their glass packaging. While vitamin C has become an industry-favorite ingredient across the board, their indie formula is a best-seller (and award-winner).

Saalt Cup

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Saalt Menstrual Cup

$29 SAALT SHOP NOW Saalt shares that the average person using disposable products uses approximately 16,900 tampons in their lifetime, when a single menstrual cup can last up to ten years. Since launching in February 2018, the brand has diverted almost three million period waste products from landfills, plus contributed funds for over 11,000 pounds of cleanup. Now teaming up with rePurpose Global, they’re slated to be the first period care brand to certify as Plastic Negative (a step beyond neutral) by pledging to remove twice as much waste from the environment as is generated in their supply chain by funding the cleanup of low-value plastic waste. Plus, those funds support recycling programs for impoverished communities affected by plastic waste and provide higher-paying jobs for waste workers.

Salwa Petersen Chébé du Tchad Hair Cream

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Salwa Peterson Chébé Du Tchad Hair Cream

$66 SALWA SHOP NOW Salwa Peterson shares that 100% of electricity used to produce her products is green, 100% of the water is “cleaned and returned to nature,” 100% of vegetable trash is composted, 100% of packaging is recyclable, and 100% of paper is FSC certified. The women who respectfully harvest the organic Chébé seeds in the line’s hair cream are paid three times the local salary, and 2% of proceeds go to African Parks Network, which manages 20 National Parks across the continent for a partnership that’s helped them, technically, reach carbon-negative status.

Susteau Moondust Duo

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Susteau Moondust Duo

$55 SUSTEAU SHOP NOW Thanks to super concentrated formulas, one bottle of powdered hair wash is the equivalent of four liquid-based formulas. The brand notes that removing the emulsification process during manufacturing alone eliminates over 90% of the energy in the product life cycle of traditional liquid shampoo and conditioner. Formulations are biodegradable, and bottles are made with over 95% ocean-bound, recycled plastic, and can be recycled curbside.

Susanne Kaufmann Cleansing Gel Refill Pouch

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Susanne Kaufmann Cleansing Gel Refill

$82 SUSANNE KAUFMANN SHOP NOW While Susanne Kaufmann’s glass bottles fall into the industry’s aforementioned “counter-worthy” category, the refill system cuts carbon emissions by 69%. Designed with 75% post-consumer material, refill bags can be recycled after use.

AYOND Metamorph Cleansing Balm

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Ayond Metamorph Cleansing Balm

$80 AYOND SHOP NOW With a 100% post-consumer paper-wrapped box and compostable cellophane, Ayond’s dreamy natural formulas are delivered consciously, though the brand takes it a step further with a recycling program. Save the original box, then gather caps, pumps and droppers, request a shipping label, and they’ll take it from there.

AmaSea SeaTea Bath Bags

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Ama SeaTea Bath Bags

$45 AMA SEA BEAUTY SHOP NOW AmaSea Beauty’s line depends on the ocean, and supports restorative ocean farming and coastal conservation. Founder Antoinette Marquez is an ocean conservationist working to protect a kelp forest off the coast of Santa Barbara, and practices ocean stewardship with PharmaSea to maintain and restore coastal marine habitats.

Dieux Forever Eye Mask

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Dieux Forever Eye Mask

$25 DIEUX SHOP NOW Disposable masks are no longer an acceptable form of self-care to many in the industry (including Credo, who will ban them as of this June). Dieux, instead, offers a 100% medical-grade silicone alternative that can be used daily without adding to the waste cycle.

Youthforia BYO Blush

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Youthforia Byo Blush

$36 YOUTHFORIA SHOP NOW A plant-based, color-changing blush oil that reacts to your skin’s natural pH, Youthforia’s formulas are USDA BioPreferred (meaning they’re made with fewer fossil fuels than traditional formulas for a smaller carbon footprint) and recyclable through Terracycle.

Superzero Men’s Allover Shampoo & Body Bar

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Superzero Men's Allover Shampoo and Body Bar

$18 SUPERZERO SHOP NOW Certified free of all microplastics and technically zero-waste, Superzero’s waterless formulas also use compostable bio-wrappers made from beer industry leftovers and make an effort to upcycle food waste like blueberry seed oil (from the juicing industry) in their hand balm bars.

Thrive Natural Care BodyShield Mineral SPF 50

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Thrive Natural Care BodyShield Mineral SPF 50

$19 THRIVE NATURAL CARE SHOP NOW Using proprietary native plants to support biodiversity and improve soil on their regenerative farms in Costa Rica is step one for Thrive Natural Care, which also packages its products in plants like this tube, made from sustainably sourced sugarcane from Brazil. BodyShield 50 features medicinal plant oil with anti-inflammatory skin benefits, and the brand was awarded an Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grant for its mineral SPF formula and their regenerative business model.

Elate Beauty Unify Loose Powder

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Elate Beauty Unify Glow Powder

$36 ELATE BEAUTY SHOP NOW Housed in a refillable, compostable bamboo jar, Elate Beauty’s sheer illuminating powder is made with ethically-sourced mica, argan microzest and kaolin clay.

Hey Humans Body Wash Rosewater Ginger

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Hey Humans Body Wash Rosewater Ginger

$6 HEY HUMANS SHOP NOW A project of Jada Pinkett Smith (who acts as the face of the brand, its creative director, and its co-founder), Hey Humans products are packaged in “infinitely recyclable” aluminum and paper. The clean formulas are also naturally-derived and designed to be gender-neutral.

Hello Products Antiplaque + Whitening Toothpaste Tablets

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Hello Antiplaque + Whitening Toothpaste Tablets

$9 HELLO SHOP NOW With free-range mint sourced sustainably from 4th-generation farmers in Oregon, Hello offers another addition to the waterless category of the future. Their toothpaste tablets shake around in a recyclable, reusable tin jar that requires less energy and carbon emissions for shipping and storage.

Vapour Beauty Lip Nectar

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Vapour Beauty Lip Nectar

$28 VAPOUR BEAUTY SHOP NOW The Taos-based brand runs on 100% renewable solar energy, and recognizes water as a precious resource, making 97% of their clean line waterless, or “anhydrous” as they say. Products are housed in FSC Certified paper and recyclable through Terracycle.

Noice Dental Gel Refill

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NOICE Dental Gel Refill

$9 NOICE SHOP NOW “We are working with a brand called Noice Care for oral care, which historically has been a very very challenging product to recycle,” says Crawford. “We’re also really excited to see some category disruption with them.” The fluoride-free formula is officially listed as “the world’s first refillable toothpaste gel.”

Everist Waterless Haircare Concentrates Kit

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Everist Waterless Haircare Concentrates Starter Kit

$46 EVERIST SHOP NOW Made out of 99.7% pure aluminum, the tubes used for Everist products are single-use plastic free and recyclable. The super-concentrated formulas rely on biodegradable ingredients, and the line’s small carbon footprint is offset to be neutral.

Cleo + Coco Zero-Waste Deodorant Bar in Brave Heart (Basil Mint)

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Cleo + Coco Zero-Waste Deodorant Bar in Brave Heart

$14 CLEO + COCO SHOP NOW Cleo + Coco’s zero-waste deodorant bar (which includes charcoal without triggering a detox process) arrives in biodegradable FSC certified packaging, wrapped in compostable paper. It comes with a reusable storage bag, and the bottom consists of a wax mold (for gripping) that can be recycled, reused, or absorbed safely back into the earth.

Pacifica Vegan Collagen Recovery Eye Cream

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Pacifica Vegan Collagen Recovery Eye Cream

$16 PACIFICA SHOP NOW Thanks to lab-grown, plant-sourced collagen, no animal byproducts are included in Pacifica's Vegan Collagen Recovery Eye Cream. The brand notes that lab-grown ingredients use less water, less land, and fewer resources to create, and the glass packaging can be recycled curbside.

EcoTools BioBlender

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EcoTools Bioblender

$6 ECO TOOLS SHOP NOW EcoTools makes their blender with biodegradable foam, and uses packaging that achieves an 88% plastic reduction (the equivalent of nearly 14 million plastic bags, or close to 6 million plastic water bottles). Any paper is FSC Certified and printed with soy ink.

Ace of Air Halo Moisturizer

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Carter’s Is Launching a New Recycling Program for Kids Clothing Nationwide

TerraCycle Include USA Carter's
The program makes it easier than ever for parents across the country to recycle any old or outgrown baby and kids’ clothing.
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In honor of Earth Month, Carter’s is announcing the launch of its recycling program, KIDCYCLE. The program will work with international recycling leader TerraCycle to recycle baby and kids’ clothing nationwide. As kids outgrow their old clothes, parents can mail the items they may otherwise throw out to TerraCycle to be recycled. Getting started is easy, too. All parents have to do is: Go to TerraCycle.com and sign up for a TerraCycle account. Fill a box with the baby and kids’ clothing they no longer want or need. Log into their account to download and print their free shipping label. Seal the box, attach the shipping label and drop it odd at their nearest shipping location. Along with doing a great thing for the planet, parents who are Rewarding Moments members with Carter’s can also earn loyalty points. Now, as little ones outgrow their clothing and parents update kids’ wardrobes, items that would otherwise be discarded can be mailed to TerraCycle and recycled. Carter’s aims to make recycling well-loved, lived-in clothing for babies and children both simple and rewarding, with the opportunity to receive Rewarding Moments loyalty points from Carter’s. “At Carter’s, we are committed to doing our part to preserve the environment for today’s generation of children as well as future generations, which is why we are excited to invite parents to join our sustainability journey,” Antonio Robinson, SVP Corporate Social Responsibility, said in a press release. “KIDCYCLE is an important step toward circularity, which will help reduce the volume of children’s clothing going to landfills and find additional uses for the recycled materials.” “Children’s clothing, especially baby clothes, hold so many memories for parents. It can be difficult to let go of such sentimental items," TerraCycle CEO and Founder, Tom Szaky, also said. "Through their recycling program, Carter’s is providing parents with a sustainable option to part with their children’s clothes that can no longer be passed on or donated.” The program will be accepting baby and kids’ clothing, excluding shoes and accessories, from any brand starting April 13 and throughout the spring. Once collected the clothing will be separated by fabric type, shredded and recycled into materials for another use, such as home insulation and stuffing in workout equipment and furniture. To learn more about KIDCYCLE, visit TerraCycle.com.
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Unilever’s Love Beauty and Planet Rolls Out Reusable Bottles

TerraCycle Unilever Include USA Loop Love Beauty and Planet

The move is part of the personal care brand’s new 2030 sustainability goals

Data shows American shoppers are buying more sustainable products.Love Beauty and Planet, Unilever BY PAUL HIEBERT As its name implies, personal care brand Love Beauty and Planet was designed with sustainability in mind. Today, the Unilever-owned company, which debuted in 2018, is announcing plans to continue its eco-friendly efforts with new pledges to become carbon-neutral and transition to 100% recyclable, refillable or compostable packaging across its product portfolio by 2030. To help fulfill the latter goal, Love Beauty and Planet began selling reusable aluminum shampoo and conditioner containers at Target earlier this year. The items come in two varieties: Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower and Murumuru Butter & Rose. By purchasing the brand’s recyclable 32-ounce bottles filled with product and pouring them into the aluminum containers, shoppers can reduce plastic waste by about 40% compared to buying Love Beauty and Planet’s standard 13.5-ounce bottles. Love Beauty and Planet

The rise of reuse

The move toward reusable containers is gaining momentum in the CPG industry. Ecommerce platform Grove Collaborative, which began selling goods in Target this month, offers its own line of cleaning products in a concentrated formula that customers pour into glass bottles and mix with water. Likewise, the startup Cleancult provides cleaning solution in milk cartons, along with glass soap dispensers and spray bottles. Last December, recycling company TerraCycle raised $25 million for its Loop initiative, a program that allows people to order household goods from nut butter to laundry detergent in durable containers and then send them back to be cleaned, refilled and reused. Love Beauty and Planet offers a few products through the Loop platform. More recently, Unilever invested $15 million in Closed Loop Partners, an investment firm focused on establishing circular supply chains, to help recycle around 60,000 metric tons of U.S. plastic packaging waste each year by 2025. “We believe plastics’ place is inside the circular economy where it is reused and not in the environment,” Fabian Garcia, president of Unilever North America, said in a statement.

Asking consumers to change

Getting shoppers to adapt to new routines, however, is another question. While 57% of U.S. adults show concern for the planet, only about one-third of these shoppers say they try to avoid using single-use disposable items, according to market research firm Mintel. “Even those who are considered environmentally-conscious face challenges to living a fully-sustainable lifestyle, which includes lack of knowledge, confusion created by marketing and lack of trust in brands,” Lisa Dubina, senior analyst of consumer culture and identity at Mintel, said in a statement. “Brands have the opportunity to step in and facilitate more sustainable action by offering simple and convenient solutions.” Sonika Malhotra, co-founder and global brand director at Love Beauty and Planet, noted that although transferring liquid from one bottle to another isn’t a common habit for most consumers of household staples, people are beginning to open up to it. “If anything, we need a million imperfect environmentalists [more] than a few perfect ones,” Malhotra said. Evidence suggests shoppers are moving in this general direction. Recent research from New York University’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business shows sales of household products labeled as sustainable stole almost another percentage point of market share from their conventional counterparts last year. Consumer goods with sustainable claims now account for 16.8% of all in-store purchases—a number that represents more than $131 billion.
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Beauty retailers dip a toe into sustainability, but fall short of sweeping change

TerraCycle Colgate Include USA Loop Gillette The Detox Market Ulta Beauty
    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.”
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