40% recycled glass
Garnier, L’Oreal’s cosmetics and toiletries mass-market brand, has just moved on to the next stage in its search to minimize the environmental impact of its packaging. Garnier is now using a 40% recycled glass in the glass pots of its face care products produced by German glassmaker Gerresheimer: a first for a brand in the mass market channe.
For obtaining a material that is as beautiful and transparent as virgin glass, Gerresheimer has developed a specific technical process. The glass comes from a controlled source. After having been collected, sorted, cleaned and ground up according to “a leading-edge process,” a high-class cullet is obtained. This cullet is then re-introduced into the glass manufacturing cycle in order to make new glass.
Environmental impact reduced
The process helps reduce the environmental impact of the glass packaging used by Garnier, through energy savings, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and the preservation of natural resources.
Indeed, according to Gerresheimer, the energy needed to melt the recycled glass (cullet) is less than that used to melt virgin glass. So, incorporating 40% recycled glass in the Garnier face care pots means a 9% reduction in the amount of energy used during manufacturing.
The decrease in the energy consumed by the furnace then reduces CO2 emissions and thus also the impact on global warming. Gerresheimer estimates CO2 saving during the manufacturing process reaches 29 tons (the estimation for the full year is 58 tons).
Eventually, using recycled glass reduces the need to use non-renewable natural resources that are used to make glass (in particular silica, soda, lime).
In parallel, Garnier informs consumers on the importance of selective collection and will stick environmental messages on its skin care packaging in order to draw their attention on the advantages of recycled glass.
