Plastic is one of the most divisive issues in sustainability right now, and every year we learn more about its role in the cosmetics business. It can be difficult to acquire data that is particular to the cosmetics industry because the rate at which plastic is created, consumed, and discarded has long surpassed the research, technology, and innovation required to comprehend the effects of our activities. However, we are aware that the amount of plastic that can build up throughout the production of a single product can occasionally be startling. If you manufacture cosmetics items for profit and are seeking to expand, plastic is almost always present.
The executive statement of a strategy for sustainability published by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2018 states: «The advantages of plastic are apparent. The substance is affordable, lightweight, and simple to produce. Since the 1950s, the production of plastic has increased dramatically because to these characteristics. If we don’t change the way we make, use, and manage plastics, we won’t be able to handle the amount of waste we currently produce. In the end, addressing one of the major challenges of our time would necessitate regulation by the government, innovation by businesses, and action by individuals.
Let’s face it: Plastic has a poor reputation; in some circumstances, you could even say it has been vilified. There is no arguing that waste is a problem, but by demonizing plastic in isolation, we are missing an opportunity to take a closer look.
Due to the critical sanitary and safety measures required to control the spread of COVID-19, single use plastic use has significantly increased across numerous industries, particularly in 2020. Single-use plastic is a key component of crucial hygiene measures in the medical sector, including masks, gloves, gowns, and medical equipment. We don’t think we’ll fully understand the effects of single-use plastic waste until well after 2020.
Given that plastic is used across our «packing chain» as a cosmetic business, it is unavoidably a contentious discussion to have. It is difficult to narrow our emphasis when plastic is a global common denominator of modern consumption. Plastic has a wide range of negative effects on human health, the environment, and ecosystems. In order to better comprehend the advantages and drawbacks of this material, we are striving to give a basic viewpoint on plastics’ use in the cosmetics sector.
We are interested in the life cycle of plastic packaging used in the cosmetics industry, and more precisely, how plastic is produced, used, and eventually disposed of. Given that PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) is the material most frequently used to package cosmetics.
Benefits of Plastic
Production – You might be surprised to learn that one of the most energy-efficient packaging materials to create is Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). We shared their shock! PET is a thermoplastic that can be heated and shaped into a certain mold shape. Typically, PET bottles are produced using the Injection Stretch Blow Molding technique from hard or «solid-state» resin (ISBM).
Franklin Associates, a US independent consulting business with expertise in life cycle assessment (LCA) and solid waste management, has carried out numerous research studies on PET across various industries. Franklin Associates concluded that the production of a PET bottle was significantly more energy efficient when compared to the production of an aluminum can and glass bottle, respectively, in a 2009 study on the comparison of beverage containers (which are quite similar to cosmetic containers). PET bottles required 11 million BTU to produce, compared to 16 million BTU for aluminum cans and 26.6 BTU for glass bottles. The PET bottle had a CO2 equivalent of 1,125, the aluminum can had a CO2 equivalent of 2,766 and the glass bottle had a CO2 equivalent of 4,848. Plastic comes in right after wood in the energy efficiency rankings of material manufacture, while aluminum and glass come in last. Regarding how the world’s oil production affects the creation of plastic, there is contradicting evidence.
Transport: When moving materials across the world, the weight of the cargo is a crucial consideration. Plastic is the material of choice for ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors for a variety of reasons, including cost and emissions associated to transport. There is reduced likelihood of fractures, leaks, and a higher resistance to environmental extremes that may be encountered during shipment because plastic is more durable. For instance, if your product were sent from Palm Springs, California to Toronto, Canada in a glass bottle during the colder months, the substance might freeze and result in the glass container blowing up. In addition to both shipments being larger because of the weight of the glass, having to replace any broken goods increases the carbon footprint of the purchase. From a consumer’s perspective, it is also better to travel with cosmetic plastic packaging because it makes your luggage lighter and reduces the possibility of having broken glass, which would need you to replace your suitcase, clothes, products, etc.
Recyclability – In the US, the market for plastic bottles is dominated by PET and HDPE (another form of thermoplastic). The most recycled plastic and the plastic that is the easiest to recycle mechanically using single stream or multi stream collection is PET. The majority of US communities typically use curbside single-stream collection to manage residential recycling. Single-stream recycling is the practice of putting glass in the same recycling bin as aluminum and steel cans, different kinds of plastic, newsprint, junk mail, cardboard, and other types of paper. PET is quickly recognized because to the recycling code number (look for the recycling triangle with 1 at the center). As opposed to thinner, more flexible plastics, thicker resin bottles, like PET, are the most likely to be accurately sorted and recycled.
Because 40% of PET’s energy is considered to be its «resource energy,» or the energy that can be recovered and utilized again through recycling from its raw materials, the sustainability factor for PET increases even more when it is recycled.
Cleaning your bottles before placing them in the recycling container for collection is always a good idea.
Consumption for multiple uses: This practice contrasts sharply with consumption for only one purpose (which will be covered in the cons below). The vast majority of completed cosmetic items packaged in plastic are multi-use products; depending on their function, they may be used hundreds of times before being discarded.
The product might potentially be kept in use for a number of weeks to several months, depending on its size and nature. It’s noteworthy to note that a packaging compatibility test must be completed before a cosmetic product’s formula can be put on the market. Depending on the product’s contents and function, plastic may be required to safeguard the formula over time and provide a secure consumer experience. Glass shampoo bottles, for instance, that are meant for use in the shower, may be challenging to handle safely.
As a result,
When it comes to sustainability, we must let go of the idea of perfection, but we also need to change how we look at plastic packaging from the perspective of life cycle analysis. Plastic is treated as a disposable material rather than as a precious resource that may be used, which results in waste. Along the whole supply chain of a product, from ingredient suppliers to production facilities to branding to transport to retailers to customers to waste disposal, innovation and accountability for sustainability are required.
Even if the production of plastics uses less energy than other packaging materials like glass and aluminum, we can certainly say that there is still more to be done in terms of end-of-life management. To achieve the UN’s concept of a sustainable society—one that satisfies the requirements of the present generation without compromising the capacity of future generations to satisfy their own needs—a shift from a linear waste economy to a circular economy will be necessary.
