Millions worldwide observed the inaugural International Day of Zero Waste in 2023 to raise awareness of zero-waste initiatives and sustainable development. Zero-waste initiatives can substantially reduce waste generation and prioritise prevention, reduction, reuse, repurposing, and recycling.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) facilitate the observance of the Day and encourage all Member States, organisations of the United Nations system, and relevant stakeholders to implement zero-waste initiatives.
LUSH, the British cosmetics retailer, is committed to its mission to "Leave the world lusher than we found it" and continually innovates with packaging. The company is introducing Prevented Ocean Plastic Globally, which will help divert millions of plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean.
As the inventor of the packaging-free shampoo bar, LUSH offers a full range of waste-free products for bathing, skin, hair, and even makeup.
For more than a decade, LUSH has used 100 percent recycled PET for its clear bottles. The company has partnered with Spectra Packaging in the UK to introduce certified recycled Prevented Ocean Plastic for its 100ml, 250m, and 500ml bottles.
LUSH Manufacturing sites in Germany and Croatia have also rolled out Prevented Ocean Plastic across these sizes, with LUSH North America and Japan following later this year. The 1L bottles are still in transition across all markets but will be introduced later this year.
When customers take home a product in a clear plastic bottle marked with the Prevented Ocean Plastic trademark, they are helping to protect marine ecosystems and the coastal communities most affected by ocean plastic pollution.
"Plastic waste is a huge issue globally, and we know that unfortunately Aotearoa is among the many countries that ships recycling to offshore facilities in developing coastal communities, like Indonesia, due to a lack of recycling infrastructure locally," said Richard Spencer, Creative Buyer at LUSH Cosmetics.
"At Lush, we have been using 100 percent recycled PET for our clear bottles for more than a decade, and our transition to now using Prevented Ocean Plastics is an exciting next step in us reusing and repurposing existing plastic waste - ultimately preventing it from entering our oceans, and providing additional waste solutions in Indonesia. This is another important milestone in improving the transparency in our supply chain, and our commitment to leaving the world Lusher than we found it."
The plastic collected is taken to collection centres, recyclers, and packaging manufacturers, where it is distributed to LUSH and other retailers for branding and use.
Spectra Packaging welcomes the Prevented Ocean Plastic initiative, which provides a proactive solution to combating ocean plastic pollution and generates tangible socio-economic benefits for those in at-risk regions most affected by its impact.
Being part of preventing tonnes of plastic from entering the oceans, improving supply chain transparency, and seeing how much impact the Prevented Ocean Plastic Programme has had on communities at high risk of plastic pollution aligns with LUSH's mission to be lusher than they found it. The company is honoured to have worked with a passionate and inspirational group of people who care about people and the environment.
