It’s estimated between 20 and 40% of beauty products end up as waste, with packaging accounting for 70% of the sector’s waste.
According to the British Beauty Council, 95% of cosmetic packaging is thrown away, and while some of this is recyclable, unfortunately plenty isn’t actually recycled and may end up in landfill.
Alongside this, 4% of beauty product stock is disposed of due to perishing, spoiling or damage and around 2% of cosmetic items are thrown away due to overproduction – higher than statistics for fashion waste, pharmaceutical, food, and the auto industry.
Consumer response
Aiming to reduce cosmetic waste, ‘Project Pan’ is the latest challenge to take over TikTok feeds with 30,000+ hashtags and counting. The new year’s project challenges people finish their beauty products before buying a new item.
The concept of ‘Project Pan’ isn’t new, there are internet communities dating back to 2015, with one forum on Reddit racking up more than 19,000 members, placing it in the top 5 communities on the content-sharing platform.
However, it has recently begun trending on TikTok as users look to challenge themselves to make better habits in the new year.
‘Pan’ refers to the concept of seeing the bottom of the container, commonly known as a ‘pan’ in the makeup industry.
What can beauty businesses do to reduce waste?
Experts at businesswaste.co.uk shared their tips on how companies can help with the rising waste caused by the beauty industry.
1. Audit your beauty business
Start by reviewing your current waste management practices, including the types and amount of waste your business creates, where it’s stored, and the disposal method.
Any aesthetics waste, chemical waste, or hazardous materials must be stored safely on your site before removal.
Review the results of your audit and the current bins you use to see if there are any areas where you’re throwing out recyclable rubbish with general waste – such as cardboard packaging or glass containers. If so, add a glass recycling or cardboard recycling bin to your waste services.
Review any areas where you create high levels of waste and try to work out why this happens. It could be poor working practices, an ordering error, or something else. There might be ways to cut this down, which may also reduce the number of bins and collections you need to lower your waste management costs.
2. Provide a recycling program
As a beauty business, you can help the environment and consumers by offering a recycling program.
Some retailers already provide a take-back scheme for beauty packaging, so if you can’t offer the opportunity, tell your clients about any other available recycling schemes where they can dispose of any products you sell or supply.
3. Use sustainable cosmetics suppliers
Try to use, buy, and sell products with as little packaging as possible – or items that at least come in recyclable and eco-friendly packaging, like recycled materials, cardboard, paper, or glass packaging.
Avoid products in plastic packaging where possible, as this is often harder to recycle.
You can buy in bulk to reduce resources and some manufacturers may offer a recycling take-back program for packaging.
4. Improve inventory management and stock rotation
One cause of waste for beauty businesses is products expiring before they’re used or sold.
Maintain an updated inventory and rotate stock (use the first in first out process) to avoid items going out of date.
Make sure all products are stored in appropriate places and conditions to prevent the likes of creams and cosmetics from getting too warm or cold and spoiling.
If you end up with some items close to their expiry date, consider selling them at a reduced price to customers.
5. Inform staff and customers about recycling solutions
Put in place a recycling policy for your beauty business, training your employees to follow clear steps to recycle rubbish and dispose of waste properly.
Highlight the importance of recycling to help the environment and the positive impact it can have on business costs.
You may also be interested in:
Recycling symbols: do you know what these 17 symbols mean?
15 ways to make your salon more sustainable