WHY WE CHOSE ALUMINIUM BOTTLES vs PLASTIC.
RECYCLABLE DOESN’T MEAN RECYCLED
We only recycle 9% of our plastic! That’s right, nine percent. But we do put more than that in our recycling bins.
What happens to those plastics? Shockingly, 70% of the plastic that’s collected for recycling is never actually recycled. So, out of the 91% of the plastic that’s thrown away, about 12% is incinerated, and 79% is tossed into landfills or the natural environment.
In contrast, a whopping 75% of the aluminium ever produced is still in use today. That means less production. Less omissions. Less waste.
WHY ARE PLASTIC SHAMPOO BOTTLES SO BAD?
After a plastic product has been used and tossed into a landfill, it’ll continue to do damage. The plastic that’s sitting in our landfills can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, and in the process, it’s leaking toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, soil, waterways, and ocean.
It’s estimated that about 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic have been thrown away since 1950. Of that amount, about 4.9 billion metric tons are still in landfills or throughout our environment. It’s estimated that if the trend continues, by 2050 there will be about 12 billion metric tons of plastic waste in landfills or the natural environment, and there will be more plastic, by weight, in our oceans than fish.
In other words, our plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles are doing tremendous harm to us, other living beings on land and in the water, and to our environment.
WHAT MAKES ALUMINIUM SO GREAT FOR RECYCLING?
Aluminium can be recycled over and over again. Unlike plastic, it doesn’t lose any volume or quality during the recycling process.
Recycling aluminium uses less energy than making it from scratch. 95% less energy, in fact.
That means your aluminium shampoo and conditioner bottles can be recycled and back on the shelves without needing any new material.
RECYCLING IS A START BUT REFILLING IS BETTER
120 billion units of personal care packaging are made each year, most of which are mixed materials and destined for landfill.
Ellen McCarthur reports that if ‘refill’ was the norm, emission savings would be 80-85% in this category, not to mention all that plastic being saved.
While aluminium can be recycled better than plastic, it does require a significant amount of energy for its production. At Dust&Glow we chose Aluminium for our full range (including our Trial packs). Our next goal is to source recycled aluminum bottles. We will keep you updated of our progress along the way.
To reduce your impact on the planet, the best option is to keep using your existing bottle and refill it with our Certified Home compostable pouches.
Ditch the plastic & switch to refillable beauty today
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