Maybelline launches UK recycling initiative in 1,000 stores

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 10, 2020

L’Oréal’s Maybelline brand is adding make-up recycling bins to 1,000 UK stores in a link-up with TerraCycle. The partnership will see them adding the recycling stations to branches of Tesco, Boots, Sainsbury's and Superdrug with the French beauty giant’s UK chief saying the company wanted to be a leader in helping consumers to develop beauty recycling habits.

The initiative launches on Thursday and means consumers will be able to drop off empty make-up products at any participating Tesco and Superdrug stores for now. Boots and Sainsbury’s will launch the recycling bins in their stores at the end of the month, the BBC reported.

It means consumers can recycle compacts, eyeshadow palettes, foundation/concealer tubes, mascara, eyeliner and lip products. Although aerosols, nail polish and make-up brushes aren’t included in the initiative, TerraCycle will be able to process mixed materials such as compacts with mirrors or bottles with pumps. The items will be recycled into plastic pellets.

L’Oréal’s UK and Ireland country manager Vismay Sharma told the BBC that the firm had the “ability to make impact at real scale”. And the large number of stores taking part really could help it to make a difference.

TerraCycle’s head of communications Stephen Clarke said the fact that 1,000 stores are involved will make it easy for consumers to recycle and the ability to process mixed materials makes it better than standard local authority recycling options.