EP117. Should beauty go plastic free?

Having looked at the shocking extent to which plastic is present within beauty formulations in liquid microplastic forms, in this episode Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier tackles plastic in beauty packaging.  Few of us would disagree that the beauty industry and its consumers should reduce, reuse and recycle plastic packaging more. But, as the figures show, the challenge is great. Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years and production of plastic has increased exponentially from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 367 million tons by 2015. An incredible 8 million tons or so of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. As we know from our episode on biodegradability, plastic can take about 400 years to break down in the environment. Any discussion on plastic packaging and the millions of tons of waste it produces is fraught with complexity and seemingly irresolvable problems. Where do we start as small beauty businesses to play our part in reducing plastic waste when the figures are so daunting? There are ways to start small and still make a difference. In this episode, we hear from one pioneering social enterprise that is literally removing plastic waste and helping companies of all sizes to reduce their dependency on plastic. rePurpose Global is the world’s leading plastic action platform dedicated to reducing waste, reviving lives and restoring nature’s balance. Lorraine talks to Peter Wang Hjemdahl, co-founder and Chief Advocacy Officer at rePurpose Global, about the creative, yet practical ways the social enterprise is tackling plastic packaging from its source in supply chains to its end of life in waste mountains. Listen in for some positive news on how our plastic dependency is being be tackled.