Recyclable, but does it actually recycle?
I saw this story on Instagram from a woman who works recycling cosmetic packaging.
In the video, she explained that the "recyclable" symbol, which often gives brands points as "eco-friendly," may not be useful at all when it comes to recycling.
This information led me to do some research on the subject, and I discovered that only about 9% of GLOBAL plastic is actually recycled.
Along these lines, I saw a comment in another informative video from a user asking if certain materials really couldn't be recycled or if it simply wasn't worth recycling them because of the costs. I found the question interesting, but also a little unfair to those who work at that stage of the process. After all, recycling doesn't just begin when the packaging reaches a machine: it also needs to be facilitated from the moment the product is designed.
It's this kind of detail that counts. And just think about how many times you've seen visually appealing packaging, with these characteristics right in front of you, and the product still managed to convince you, with those earthy and green tones and plant designs, that it was a natural, sourced option.
I even think it must be difficult to think ahead like that, because it's not just about your individual responsibility in waste disposal, but also about what is actually possible.
Some plastics truly cannot be recycled, but when it comes to the world of cosmetics and everyday products, I myself am outraged by the charade. This is because the very choices made in the design and communication of packaging can hinder recycling or give the consumer a better environmental impression than reality. Some examples are:
A label or sticker made of a different material than the packaging, such as paper glued to plastic, can make sorting and recycling more difficult.
Packaging that combines different types of resin or other materials may require more complex separation and have a lower market value for recycling.
Instead of clearly stating the percentage of post-consumer material (PCR) present in the packaging, some brands use generic terms or unclear labels, making it difficult to understand how much of that packaging is actually recycled or recyclable.
Source: PNGWing.
The symbol you see is universally used alongside a number from one to seven to identify the resin used in the packaging. This type of identification helps designate the area where the material will be recycled. It's important to note that the symbol does not mean the packaging will actually be recycled.
Let's look at some examples. The purple packaging you can see in item 3 is from the Palmolive brand, a shampoo brand. The side of the container has a zipper design with the phrase: "Removing the label will help ensure the bottle is recyclable."
This is because if the customer removes the brand identification, the container becomes transparent, which aids in recycling due to the higher demand for this type of material.
And that's a very good idea. The brand scores points and allows for the separation of materials. The same thing happens with the lid itself, which is also transparent and made of common material.
Photo 1 has a point that you probably noticed. Assuming the label has already been removed, the bright colors of these containers likely make recycling difficult, as demonstrated in the video.
Photo 2, however, may present problems even further. By enlarging the image, it's possible to see that most bottles have different components in the cap, label, and body of the packaging. A simpler design would likely shorten the sorting process, making recycling more viable.
Ultimately, recycling doesn't just depend on how we dispose of it. The way packaging is designed, even before it reaches our hands, also matters. I believe we should start demanding a little more from the cosmetics industry in this regard.
JOAGRO. "Main difficulties in plastic recycling". Joagro Blog.
USP JOURNAL. "Only 9% of global plastic is recycled; in Brazil, the percentage is even lower." USP Radio.
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