cosmetics – Michmutters
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Can you recycle old make-up packaging? Here’s what’s happening in the $8 billion industry that creates tonnes of waste

Australians spend billions of dollars on beauty products every year, but the leftover packaging mostly ends up in landfill.

It’s estimated that more than 10,000 tonnes of cosmetic waste goes to landfill every year in Australia, because make-up products aren’t generally accepted in kerbside recycling.

That’s because they are too small to be sorted at a regular facility and often contain complex and mixed materials as well as remnant product, which makes them tricky to recycle alongside regular glass and plastics.

So what should you be doing with your old make-up and perfumes?

What are companies doing?

More Australian and international beauty brands and retailers are now offering take-back schemes where you can return used beauty products in-store so they can be recycled.

The products, including skin cream tubes, plastic and metal eyeshadow palettes, foundation and fragrance bottles are sorted into different waste streams like glass, metal, soft and hard plastics.

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