Herbal Essences has found a way to make use of beach plastic in a new sustainable initiative. The Procter & Gamble-owned haircare brand has joined forces with the waste management company TerraCycle to create a series of recyclable shampoo and conditioner bottles comprising 25% beach plastic.
The limited-edition bottles, which are being launched to mark World Water Day on March 22, will be available through June 2019. They are being used in three of the brand’s Bio:renew Collections - ‘White Grapefruit & Mosa Mint’, ‘Argan Oil’ and ‘Coconut Milk’. However, the corporate partnership will continue after June, with Herbal Essences and TerraCycle teaming up on a US-wide take-back program launching ahead of World Ocean Day on June 8, that aims to encourage shoppers to recycle their haircare bottles.
"Actions like incorporating ocean plastic into our bottles is just one way we are bringing innovative solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment," said Ilaria Resta, North America General Manager of P&G Hair Care, in a statement. "This is a step towards our long-term vision of using 100% renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging."
In January, personal care giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) was one of several major global companies to launch the ‘Alliance to End Plastic Waste’ (AEPW), a non-profit organization founded to tackle plastic waste levels in the ocean. In 2017, P&G was also the first consumer goods company to launch a shampoo bottle made from up to 25% recycled beach plastic, at that time for its Head & Shoulders brand. TerraCycle, meanwhile, teamed up with the L’Oreal-owned brand Garnier last March to unveil the beauty packaging recycling campaign ‘Rinse, Recycle, Repeat.’
