In the CleanHub report, the cosmetics sector rates sustainability poorly

The global cosmetics industry’s poor performance on the eco-front is highlighted by a new report from plastic pollution prevention specialist CleanHub.

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It relies on estimates and its own analysis of industry data and claims that 120 billion pieces of single-use cosmetic packaging are used each year, of which 95% is thrown away rather than recycled.

Moreover, its report “The Environmental Impact of the Cosmetics Industry” claims that only 13% of over 7,000 cosmetic products are microplastic-free.

Moreover, it states that only 14% of plastic cosmetic waste is recycled and only 9% is recycled.

Meanwhile, beauty also contributes to deforestation, as 70% of the products produced by the industry contain palm oil and approximately 10.4 million tons of water are used annually in production processes.

The report also highlighted the high levels of emissions the industry is responsible for, as well as persistent ethical issues with many factory workers still “working in poor conditions, showing that beauty brands need to support them and farmers more.”

The report comes as CleanHub says 63% of beauty consumers surveyed say “clean beauty” is important to their purchases, with almost half also saying they would pay more for sustainable products.

But it actually says, “Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom. “Many beauty brands are starting to rethink their impact on the environment.”

Nikki Stones, vice president of marketing at CleanHub, said: “Used beauty packaging – most of which is single-use, non-recyclable and ultimately ends up in landfills or the ocean – is one of the biggest problems in the industry.

As consumers increasingly view clean beauty as an essential when purchasing products, there has never been a more pressing time for the beauty industry to make its practices more sustainable.