Erno Laszlo Believes Your Ritual Should Be Good For You And The Environment
We deliver this through sustainable packaging and our commitment towards a circular economy.
In December 2019, we became a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, based on guidance from Better Future Factory, a sustainability design agency. Together, we established key milestones and tasks to help Erno Laszlo become compliant by 2025. Below is our Global Commitment updated as of July 2021.
New Plastics Economy Global Commitment
Eliminating Problematic or Unnecessary Plastic Packaging by 2025
Actions Taken / Completed
1. Materials & formats eliminated or reduced for primary and secondary packaging
- In 2019 completed “Plastics Scan” to assess all packaging types currently used across the brand and identified problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging
- As of August 2019, stopped offering single-use sample packettes
- As of January 2020, eliminated the use of ABS and SAN resins in all packaging (current sin list also includes AS, PVC, PC & PS, which are not being used in our packaging today) and eliminated the use of vacuum metallization as a decoration technique
- As of May 2020, changed PP jar cap liners from PE to EVA to ensure recyclability (not contaminate stream)
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May 2021 moved out of black resin into white resin to ensure detectability in sorting machines
- By December 2021, all secondary cartons will be right-sized and plastic inserts/ vacforms will be replaced with paperboard trays or moulded pulp.
- February 2021 transitioned from plastic bubble wrap to paper dunnage in warehouse
Description of Activities and Plans in Progress
1. Materials & formats eliminated or reduced for primary and secondary packaging
- Substitution of multi-layer film packaging with mono-layer film or alternate recyclable materials
- December 2020 began search for new recyclable film
- March-May 2021 evaluated current film’s performance and powder
- June-July 2021 began testing material for VTM
- Note: any products that are not compatible with chosen mono-material film by 2023 will undergo a format change or be discontinued
- Utilization of single resin (mono-material) within a multi-part package
- September 2021 planned launch of 1st metal-free pump, mono-material package (polypropylene) used for all serum packaging
- Began search in February 2021 for all plastic pump for use with oil cleansers
- Replacement of solid black caps to marbled caps in 2020-2023 to improve recyclability and transition into PCR plastic (where black is the primary color, plan to add identifiers by 2022)
- May 2021 tested black marble detectability with IR machine – proved to be undetectable
- June 2021 began cap development with adding 50% PCR and identifiers into black marbled caps
- To perform a full evaluation of our distribution network to reduce plastics (tertiary packaging) in transporting primary and secondary packaging by end of 2022
Updated Goals
1. Concentrate on reducing jar gram weight by 10% by 2023Moving From Single Use Towards Reuse Models Where Relevant by 2025
Actions Taken / Completed
1. Exploration of refill or reuse models
- Explored reuse models with Loop in 2019 and decided to focus on refill model
- February 2020 conducted in-house consumer panel test to inform refill strategy
- No refill models available as of 2021
Description of Activities and Plans in Progress
1. Design phase
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May 2021 designed preliminary concepts of refillable jar with supplier
Updated Goals
1. Offer 3 products refill/reuse model in 2021; Revised Plan: Launch refillable program by year end 2022
Increasing Post - Consumer Recycled (PCR) by 2025
Actions Taken / Completed
1. Components/ products with PCR- May 2021 launched first package with 25% PCR PP
- Cap jar PCR 50% - blue marble development complete; Launch date TBC
Description of Activities and Plans in Progress
1. Planned Launches
- In 2022 transitioning into marbled jar caps (black) with 50% PCR and identifiers
2. Sourcing & Testing
- Actively sourcing PCR packaging for new product introductions and refill/reuse options
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Currently exploring the use of PCR in our existing jars, caps, and bottles (PP/PE) – testing underway to ensure product integrity and no interaction
- PCR to be included only in non-contact parts (i.e., jar outer), plastic that touches product shall remain virgin
3. Take-back Program
- September 2021 will launch closed-loop recycle stream to recover consumer waste for use as regrind and incorporation into ‘like-as’ packaging or upcycle/down-cycle
Updated Goals
1. Updating goal from 25% to 30% PCR on average in keeping with regulations set by governments around world by 2025
100% of Plastic Packaging to be Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable by 2025
Actions Taken / Completed
1. In 2019 reviewed the design for recycling guidelines on all our plastic packaging and acted accordingly to ensure recyclability
2. Investigated partnerships with third parties, such as Terracycle, for items that cannot be recycled through local municipalities
Description of Activities and Plans in Progress
1. Assess any items that have not been addressed thus far, to examine and develop plans in 2022-2025
- Items smaller than by 2” x 2”
- Transportation materials for in-bound materials
To keep packaging in circulation we need dedicated, ongoing & sufficient funding for collection, sorting & recycling. We recognize that EPR is the only proven & likely way to provide this funding. Read the full statement & paper by @circulareconomy: plastics.emf.org/EPR
If you would like to know more about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the New Plastics Economy initiative, please click on the links below:
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