Here is quick step by step guide to what can and can’t be recycled from our beauty products and how to recognise for yourself the products that can be recycled!
For most women the last thing they think about, when lashing on a lotion or a lippie, is where the empty packaging will end up. But while we are making ourselves beautiful we should also try and be mindful of mother earth’s beauty and make an effort to recycle anything we can from our bedrooms and bathroom and start thinking about how to reduce the waste produced by our beauty regimes. Many high profile, high quality cosmetic and beauty companies have a real environmental conscience so this means that the majority of packaging from beauty products is fully recyclable.
So what are the products that can and can’t be recycled and if they can be recycled, how and where?
Shampoo and Conditioner Bottles: These bottles are fully recyclable and once washed out can either be put in your green bin (check with your local waste collector policy) or else can be taken to the local recycling centre (check Repak.ie to find your nearest recycling centre). Also where possible it is always good to try and choose bulk-size shampoos and conditioners as well as products with minimal external packaging. The fewer small containers you use, the less waste you'll produce. Bigger is better The L'Oreal Elvive range is an example of a brand that has larger sized bottles of shampoo and conditioners to reduce packaging waste.
Glass Foundation bottles: The majority of foundations come in small glass bottles. These are also fully recyclable like any glass bottle such as glass wine or beer bottles which many are used to recycling. These can be taken to the glass bottle banks or recycling centres when you are taking all your other glass materials to the bottle bank.
Aerosol Deodorants: The aerosol cans used for deodorants or hairsprays can also be recycled. These bottles are made of aluminium but as it is a pressurised can it will need to be taken to your recycling centre and cannot yet be recycled straight through the green bin.
Paper and cardboard packaging: All the wrapping and boxing around various products such as, perfumes, make up, moisturisers, clothes, tissue boxes can all be recycled, it is just paper and cardboard same as you find in your kitchen so this can all go in the green bin.
Cleanser and Toner bottles: Cleanser and toner bottles are made from the same type of hard plastic as your shampoo and conditioner bottles and again are fully recyclable. So make sure that popping these in the green bin when they are finished becomes part of your beauty ritual as well.
Vaseline Lip balm tins: These small lip balms tins are made of aluminium which is highly recyclable, same as a soft drinks can so this can be recycled by popping it straight in to your green bin.Juicy Tube lip gloss: this tubing is also made of PET plastic and as such is fully recyclable. Put a little box aside in your room to collect all the little plastic bottles and tubing that can be recycled and when you have enough take a trip to the recycling centre and get it all recycled.
Key Tips
Outlined above is a broad array of the type of products that can be recycled but if you come across a product not listed above and you want to check if it is recyclable, here is quick learner guide on how to find out if the packaging is recyclable or not!
PET packaging; Big name cosmetic companies who use it on some of their packaging include: Clinique, Clarins, Redken, Nivea, Johnson & Johnson, the letters PET will be written either on the side or the bottom of the bottles and you will see a symbol of 3 Arrows chasing each other, encircling the number 1 (which indicates PET) so you can be sure that this is recyclable
HDPE packaging is also accepted in a lot of recycling centres, generally not in your green bin but check with your own individual waste collector if you are not sure. HDPE plastics are used in shampoo bottles, fake tan bottles and moisturiser bottles again the letters HDPE will be written on either the side or the bottom of the bottles and the symbol of 3 arrows chasing each other, encircling the number 2 will also indicate that it is HDPE plastic and can be recycled
Always look for the PET logo (three green arrows chasing each other) when purchasing your beauty products and cosmetics.
This can be recycled in most household recycling schemes
