Charles Sternberg, Assistant Editor04.07.21
In partnership with Beautycycle, Nordstrom has launched a beauty take back and recycling program in Canada, accepting all brands of beauty packaging.
Each year, more than 120 billion units of plastic packaging are produced by the beauty industry, but less than nine percent gets recycled. That's because many municipal recycling centers do not accept beauty materials and packaging, as they often contain a mix of materials that are not locally recyclable.
Nordstrom and Beautycycle hope to change that and aim to take back 100 tons of hard-to-recycle beauty packaging by 2025 to ensure it gets recycled.
"We understand our customers care about sustainability, and we want to help them move toward a zero-waste beauty routine so they can look great and do good at the same time," said Gemma Lionello, executive vice president, general merchandise manager, accessories and beauty, at Nordstrom. "We're proud to expand access to a recycling program that will help our Canadian customers easily and conveniently recycle their beauty packaging."
How it Works
Starting April 6, customers can bring empty beauty products to any Nordstrom Canada store to be recycled. Beautycycle boxes will be available in the beauty department.
Empty cosmetics, haircare or skincare packaging regardless of brand or purchase location can be dropped off at Nordstrom’s locations. This includes:
Nordstrom will send the contents of the Beautycycle Boxes to Terracycle, where they will be cleaned and separated into metals, glass and plastics. Those materials are then recycled based on the material composition. For example, plastics are recycled into a wide range of new products including park benches and picnic tables, while metals are reused as base materials for stamped product applications like nuts, bolts, washers and rings.
Each year, more than 120 billion units of plastic packaging are produced by the beauty industry, but less than nine percent gets recycled. That's because many municipal recycling centers do not accept beauty materials and packaging, as they often contain a mix of materials that are not locally recyclable.
Nordstrom and Beautycycle hope to change that and aim to take back 100 tons of hard-to-recycle beauty packaging by 2025 to ensure it gets recycled.
"We understand our customers care about sustainability, and we want to help them move toward a zero-waste beauty routine so they can look great and do good at the same time," said Gemma Lionello, executive vice president, general merchandise manager, accessories and beauty, at Nordstrom. "We're proud to expand access to a recycling program that will help our Canadian customers easily and conveniently recycle their beauty packaging."
How it Works
Starting April 6, customers can bring empty beauty products to any Nordstrom Canada store to be recycled. Beautycycle boxes will be available in the beauty department.
Empty cosmetics, haircare or skincare packaging regardless of brand or purchase location can be dropped off at Nordstrom’s locations. This includes:
- Shampoo and conditioner bottles and caps
- Hair gel tubes and caps
- Hair spray bottles and triggers
- Hair paste plastic jars and caps
- Lip balm tubes
- Face soap dispensers and tubes
- Lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars
- Shaving foam tubes (no cans)
- Lip gloss tubes
- Mascara tubes
- Eye liner pencils and cases
- Eye shadow and tubes
- Concealer tubes and sticks
- And more…
Nordstrom will send the contents of the Beautycycle Boxes to Terracycle, where they will be cleaned and separated into metals, glass and plastics. Those materials are then recycled based on the material composition. For example, plastics are recycled into a wide range of new products including park benches and picnic tables, while metals are reused as base materials for stamped product applications like nuts, bolts, washers and rings.
