Herbal Essences and TerraCycle launch limited edition bottles made from 23 percent beach plastic

29 Apr 2019 --- Herbal Essences has teamed up with waste management innovation company TerraCycle to create recyclable shampoo and conditioner bottles made of 25 percent plastic sourced from beached waste. Three of the Herbal Essences bio:renew Collections – White Grapefruit & Mosa Mint, Argan Oil and Coconut Milk – will be available in these limited-edition Beach Plastic bottles from March to June 2019.

“Plastic floating in our oceans and rivers has been a recent topic for discussion and unless people work to find solutions, it stays just that –a discussion,” says Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO. “By incorporating beach plastic into their bottles, Herbal Essences is showing that they are committed to doing something and leading by example. I look forward to our continued work together to raise awareness and make a bigger difference.”

“Businesses can play an important role in driving and inspiring change in the world,” says Ilaria Resta, North America General Manager of Procter & Gamble (P&G) Hair Care. “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. This is a step towards our long-term vision of using 100 percent renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging.”

Incorporating beach plastic into consumer goods is a practice that has also been exhibited by Henkel. In October last year, Henkel teamed up with social enterprise Plastic Bank to collect waste before it enters the oceans. At the collection centers in Haiti, the local population can return collected plastic waste and exchange it for money, goods or services. The so-called “Social Plastic” is then integrated back into the plastic value chain. Henkel also includes this Social Plastic in its packaging. Experts from Laundry & Home Care’s packaging development department successfully integrated the recycled plastic in 25,000 bottles for laundry and cleaning products.

Herbal Essences is continuing to partner with TerraCycle beyond this limited-edition Beach Plastic bottle in a US-wide take-back program to ensure every Herbal Essences bottle can be recycled and does not end up in the ocean. The take-back program will begin in time for World Ocean Day on June 8, 2019. Both Herbal Essences and parent company P&G are sponsors of The Ocean Project to grow engagement and action to protect our shared oceans.

The partnership joins a growing list of TerraCycle initiatives in the industry. TerraCycle has also partnered with a range of UK companies to solve their recycling issues with “difficult” products, including oral care products from Colgate, contact lenses from Johnson & Johnson, Pringles from Kellogg’s and bread bags from Hovis.

By Benjamin Ferrer