are we failing to see the ugly truth of plastic waste in the beauty industry?
This year, Glastonbury Festival urged festival-goers to “please avoid” using disposable wipes. They issued this with an explanation saying that “wipes – even biodegradable wipes which quickly break down into micro-plastics – are problematic environmental pollutants”. 2019 was also the first year that Glastonbury banned the use of glitter on site as they expressed concern regarding the quantity of micro-plastic left in the ground and as it’s too small to be filtered in the sewage system, how it effects both our water and the marine life living in it. With over 60 British festivals committing to a ban on single use plastics by 2021, alongside the 2018 Government ban on micro-beads in cosmetics – we can feel encouraged about attempts made to curb our plastic waste.
Despite both of these positive steps, I can’t help but feel that they raise an alarm on both the extent of our plastic dependence but also where we focus our concerns. It struck me that despite an increased awareness of the damaging effect of plastic-pollution, I’m still mind blown when I really consider the degree of our current dependence. It’s easy to complacently continue habits and not so easy to avoid something so ubiquitous as single-use plastic. Maybe I’m late to join the bandwagon but only recently did I think to consider the environmental impact of my make-up wipes!
It then came as no surprise to learn that 9 in 10 Brits say that they recycle their kitchen waste versus only 6 in 10 who admit to recycling their toiletries and cosmetics. It appears that we are better at recycling in the kitchen and failing to emulate our vigilant waste separation in the bathroom. This made me wonder if the disparity manifests in less consumer pressure on the beauty industry to use more sustainable packaging. According to Zero Waste Week – the beauty industry alone produced 120 billion units of packaging in 2017. Is it possible that the plastic waste contribution of the beauty and cosmetic industry gets overlooked? Whilst more and more people boycott plastic straws or invest in a re-usable coffee cup – is the extent of plastic waste produced by our beauty and cosmetics a blind spot in our consciousness? Just consider your deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, mascara, eyeliner, foundation – everything housed in plastic that will be around longer than you’ll be alive.
However, putting a recycling bin in your bathroom for your shampoo bottles is not going to do much in the way of really tackling the over-consumption of plastic. Make-up is an especially tricky one as it is most often a mix of inseparable materials i.e. mirror/plastic/metal, ultimately rendering it non-recyclable. Even cotton wool and ordinary make-up remover wipes are typically not recyclable, and the plant fibre-based biodegradable wipes come with their own problems – often criticised as not a viable alternative because they release greenhouse gases when they decompose.
Even when we choose to buy recyclable products, unfortunately, there is no guarantee that they will eventually be recycled! Whilst supporting companies which do use recyclable packaging will make a difference, Greenpeace are keen to emphasize that recycling alone is not enough. They are adamant that when it comes to tackling plastic consumption we must begin with a commitment to reduction. In Elena Polisano’s words, a campaigner for Greenpeace, ‘we should reduce, reuse, and recycle, in that order’. Whilst it sounds easy enough to get on board with, how can we put this into practice?
A bit of research revealed that there is lots to be optimistic about. For instance, Mac runs a Back-to-Mac scheme which rewards customers with a free lipstick if they return 6 empty mac containers. Lush offers a similar service with their iconic black pots. If you take back 5 empties, they’ll give you a free face mask. Similarly, Kiehls has its own Recycle and Be Rewarded scheme where you receive a stamp for every bottle of theirs returned to the shop, and once you’ve collected 10 they’ll reward you with a travel-sized product. But interestingly, whilst these companies encourage you to recycle, they are simultaneously encouraging you to buy more…
Re-using the things we already have is key. The Going Zero Waste Movement seeks to encourage individuals not just to consider the products which we buy but to question our attitude towards the notion of waste. It’s clear that there are brands which are making an effort to use packaging with a lifetime beyond a single use. Lush has gone the furthest in its commitment to overhauling plastic-dependence with its three packaging-free ‘naked’ shops. Here you can buy all things packaging free - solid shampoo, shower gel, deodorant etc. In a similar vein, LOOP store is a new service to London beginning in Autumn which offers a delivery service seeking to minimize packaging by transporting “durably packaged goods” to individual homes. LOOP then pick up the product packaging once you’re done - clean, refill and re-use it.
Beauty and cosmetic brand Origins offer a similar service where they recycle cosmetic empties of all brands to reduce landfill waste, but only in the USA! On their website they acknowledge that “cosmetic containers are not easily recycled, so many local facilities don’t accept them”. Whilst these examples are evidence of how this trend is gaining traction, they also highlight just how important it is to demand these services if you’re keen to see them become more widespread and more accessible. Changing our own consumer behaviour is a very real form of activism. By voting with our cash, consumers can be just as powerful as brands when it comes to initiating change.
The viability of alternatives proves that it’s not so much a question of whether we can recycle our waste, but rather how can we change our attitude towards what we consider to be waste. Reusable make-up remover pads, reusable panty liners and Mooncups are all ways to further reduce our production of waste. With this increasing awareness of the implications of our plastic consumption, the question of sustainability in consumption looms over more and more of our lives, but it’s not necessarily something to feel uneasy about. Breaking habits is tough, but it’s also that same changed behaviour which forges a very real form of activism.