2018, in the U.S. alone, 7.9 billion units of ridge plastic was created for the cosmetics industry.₁
In 2018, landfills received 27 million tons of plastic.₂
As companies, it’s our job to take accountability for the waste created and try to reduce waste. One of our goals at Akuwa Skincare is to reduce our environmental impact by using packaging that is 100% recyclable. We chose glass containers for our Elite Glow Serum because glass can be recycled an infinite number of times with no loss in quality. Our glass bottles are spray color-coated, holding color on the outside surface only. During the recycling process, the color and print is melted off.
To help reduce waste, here are 4 important tips to help you become a better recycler!
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Research the recycling procedure of your town, city, or county. You can also check if there are any recycling programs in your area.
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Ensure your skincare containers are emptied and rinsed. If too much product is left in your container when you discard, it can cross-contaminate. An item that becomes cross-contaminated will not be recycled appropriately.
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It's important to remove metal rings from pump containers before you recycle them. Remove plastic caps from glass containers when being placed in the recycling bin, but it's ok if you forget… glass is crushed during the recycling process and all non-glass pieces are removed.
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Small items less than two inches usually do not get recycled especially if they are mixed material, like a dropper cap. Just throw these items away.
Always remember, the more mixed materials a container has, the less likely it will be recycled. Let’s work together to reduce waste, every effort counts!
₁An Ocean of Lipstick Tubes & Disposable Razors: It's Time to Get Serious About Beauty's Packaging Problem. Allure 2020. https://www.allure.com/story/beauty-industry-packaging-waste
₂Plastics: Material-Specific Data. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data
