WHAT GOES STRAIGHT TO RECYCLING?
Aluminum, glass, paper, and cardboard can all be recycled. As for plastic packaging, a few exceptions remain. To help you figure it out, here is a list of recyclable cosmetic packaging sorted by materials.
Aluminum packaging: Aluminum bottles (hair sprays, foams, or deodorants) can be recycled, just like their steel counterparts.
Cardboard and paper packaging: Okay, this is most likely not news to you! Both cardboard and paper can be readily recycled, which means that you can throw your packaging and your product leaflets in one go!
Glass containers: Your glass jars containing your face and body creams or your scrubs can be recycled in the glass collection bins. Just as you would do with your canned vegetables, don’t forget to remove their lids, which can go into the household waste bin. As for your glass bottles (foundations, serums, etc.), no need to rinse them out - it saves on water. The materials will be cleaned by the recycling process itself. [Missing words] perfectly and remove their caps, which can go to the recycling bin.
Plastic packaging: Yes, some plastics can be recycled, but not all of them. The bottles with pumps (e.g. for your face creams or your shampoos) can be entirely recycled provided that they have been thoroughly emptied. The same goes for the roll-on deodorants, which can be recycled with their caps.
WHAT STILL ELUDES RECYCLING (FOR NOW)?
Like we explained earlier, plastic is recycled, but not always! So it’s important to know which items will end up with your household waste.
Plastic jars: The plastic jars containing your creams or your hair masks are unfortunately not recyclable.
Plastic tubes: Toothpaste, creams - their tube packaging is not recyclable either and must be thrown with your household waste.
Plastic sticks: Deodorants, lipsticks, and other types of sticks are not included in the recycling system either, so it’s a household waste bin for them.
Makeup products: eyeshadow palettes, mascaras, lipsticks, and eyeliners are not recycled. But there are alternatives in retail outlets - you can leave them in boxes (just as you would do with batteries and lightbulbs) and they will be recycled!
After this intensive refresher, no doubt you have all the potential to become a recycling champion! And if you’re not sure, go check the Let’s recycle in style page!
