2024 Recycling Regulatory Trends: Resin Identification Codes & What They Mean for Cosmetic Packaging

Apr 26

As regulatory trends and consumer preferences shift towards more sustainable packaging, cosmetic brands must understand the importance of resin identification codes (RICs) and their impact on recyclability.

    
        Resin Type
        Common Areas of Usage in Cosmetic Packaging
        Properties
        Recycling
    

        PET (1)
        Bottles for lotions, shampoos, containers for creams
        Clear, strong, solvent-resistant, good barrier against gas and moisture
        Widely recyclable; accepted by most recycling programs
    

        HDPE (2)
        Containers for shampoo, conditioner, body wash
        Sturdy, resistant to chemicals and moisture, opaque
        Widely recyclable; accepted by most recycling programs
    

        PVC (3)
        N/A (Rarely used for cosmetic packaging)
        Flexible, durable, can be clear or colored
        Less commonly recycled
    

        LDPE (4)
        Squeeze tubes, bottle caps, dispensing bottles
        Flexible, tough, transparent or opaque
        Recycling availability varies; not as widely accepted
    

        PP (5)
        Containers for powders, some pump bottles
        High melting point, resistant to chemicals, often opaque
        Increasingly being recycled
    

        PS (6)
        Compact cases for powders and blushes
        Rigid, can be clear or foamed (as in styrofoam)
        Limited recycling options; often not accepted
    

        Other (7)
        Specialty packaging
        Varies widely due to inclusion of different materials (e.g., polycarbonate can be very tough, bioplastics are compostable)
        Varies widely; generally accepted by fewer recycling programs
    

Are there any specific regulations that encourage the use of one type of resin over another?

As of April 2024, there aren’t any specific regulations that explicitly encourage the use of one type of resin over another. However, regulatory trends and market dynamics are increasingly favoring resins that are more recyclable.

European Union. On November 30, 2022, the European Commission proposed revisions to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) to ensure that "all packaging on the EU market is reusable or recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030". (Source)

United States. There are currently no federal-level mandatory targets for the recyclability of plastic packaging that dictate a specific percentage of recyclable materials that must be used.

However, some states have enacted their own regulations. For example, Washington State has set the following annual minimum postconsumer recycled content percentages for plastic containers used in personal care products:

2025 - 2027: No less than 15 percent postconsumer recycled content plastic by weight
2028 - 2030: No less than 25 percent postconsumer recycled content plastic by weight
On and after 2031: No less than 50 percent postconsumer recycled content plastic by weight (Source)