All You Need to Know About Plastic Packaging

Plastic has become a dirty word. Many of us try to avoid purchasing items made from this unmentionable material. Try as we may, though, it is virtually impossible to eliminate it entirely from our homes.

As a manufacturer of cosmetic products and a company that cares deeply about the impact that plastic has on our lives, Oleo would like to delve into the world of plastic and relay our views and actions to you.

Plastic cosmetic packaging materials play a crucial role in the beauty industry. They provide a wide range of benefits that both consumers and manufacturers appreciate. However, it’s essential to be aware of the challenges they pose and explore potential solutions for a more sustainable future.

 Plastic – the pros 

Portability and convenience

Plastic packaging materials are lightweight and highly portable. Whether you’re travelling or simply carrying your cosmetics in your bag, plastic containers are incredibly convenient. They offer ease of use, allowing you to access your products effortlessly whenever and wherever you need them. Additionally, their lightweight nature reduces transportation costs and carbon footprints, making them an environmentally friendly choice.

Protective properties

One of the primary purposes of packaging is to protect the contents, and plastic excels in this aspect. Plastic cosmetic packaging materials provide excellent protection against leakage, breakage, and external factors that could compromise product quality. They act as a barrier, safeguarding the contents from exposure to air, moisture, and contaminants, thus ensuring the product remains in optimal condition throughout its shelf life.

Plastic packaging materials offer remarkable advantages in terms of convenience, visual appeal, and product protection.

 Plastic – the cons

While plastic materials offer various advantages in cosmetic packaging, it’s crucial to acknowledge their drawbacks.

Environmental impact

Plastic materials pose significant environmental challenges. The production of these plastics involves the extraction and processing of non-renewable fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions and resource depletion. Moreover, plastics are generally not biodegradable and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Improper disposal and inadequate recycling systems lead to plastic pollution, adversely affecting ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.

Recycling challenges

While recycling is an essential step towards reducing plastic waste, certain plastic types face recycling challenges. For example, some multi-layered plastic packaging, such as tubes or pouches (not used by Oleo), can be difficult to separate and recycle effectively. Additionally, some plastic materials face limited recycling infrastructure or are not widely accepted by recycling facilities. These challenges hinder recycling rates and contribute to the accumulation of plastic waste.

It is important to note here that all the plastic packaging used at Oleo can be recycled at all recycling centres.

Health concerns

Certain plastic materials used in cosmetic packaging may raise health concerns. For instance, some plastics contain chemical additives, such as phthalates or bisphenol A (BPA), which have been linked to potential health risks, including endocrine disruption. While regulations are in place to restrict the use of such additives in certain applications, it’s important to consider the potential effects on consumer health.

Rest assured – none of the plastic packaging used by Oleo contains any of these potentially harmful chemical additives.

Perception and brand image

In recent years, there has been a growing consumer awareness and concern about the environmental impact of plastics. Some consumers perceive plastic packaging as wasteful and environmentally harmful, leading to negative brand perception.

Oleo is fully aware of this thinking, and we are increasingly adopting sustainable practices.

Our 1 litre bottles are no longer made from plastic, but from sugarcane. It offers all the good points of plastic without the negative impacts.

By acknowledging the drawbacks associated with plastic cosmetic packaging materials, we can encourage a shift towards more sustainable alternatives and practices.

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic

This is a sustainable packaging material made from recycled plastic waste. By reusing plastic that consumers recycle, PCR plastic reduces environmental impact and helps divert materials from landfills.

It plays a key role in reducing waste, lowering carbon footprint, and supporting a circular economy in plastic packaging. All Oleo’s plastic packaging is made from PCR plastic.

Prevented ocean plastic (POP)

Prevented Ocean Plastic may sound technical, but the idea behind it is remarkably simple and incredibly impactful. It refers to plastic collected within 30 miles of coastlines in regions where waste management infrastructure is limited and plastic pollution poses a serious threat.

This is not beach clean-up material, or plastic dredged from the ocean itself. It is plastic that’s been intercepted before it has a chance to reach the sea, and that distinction makes all the difference.

We consider Prevented Ocean Plastic to be a big deal because:

• It stops pollution before it starts
• It supports local communities
• It is fully traceable
• It works like regular plastic
• It makes us feel like we’re actively doing something (however small) to reduce the plastic mountain
• A large percentage of the Oleo packaging is POP.

Sugarcane bottles

Sugarcane bottles are a type of bioplastic produced using renewable materials, both within the plastic itself and during the production process. Where petroleum-based plastics come from a finite source that takes millions of years to form, plant-based materials offer a quicker, lower-emission solution.

The benefits of sugarcane bottles:

• Sugarcane captures carbon from the atmosphere, thus producing a lower carbon footprint than petroleum-based plastics.
• They are 100% recyclable.
• Sugarcane bagasse, a waste product created during the crushing process, is used to generate electric power for the production of ethanol.
• Sugarcane bottle production uses 70% less fossil fuels.
• Sugarcane is rain-fed and grown using natural fertilisers.
• All the Oleo 1 litre bottles are made from sugarcane.

Oleo's vegan skincare values

Oleo is endeavouring to use more sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging, without compromising the quality of our range in any way. We feel that this sits very comfortably with our values of bringing you high-quality, vegan skincare.

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