How To / Recycle Your Shampoo Empties
You’re in the shower and reach for the shampoo. You finally hear the dreaded last laborious squirt from the bottle.
First reaction: Shit, time to spend another $20-$50 depending on how much I love myself when I get to Target. Is the conditioner out too?
Second reaction: Should I Kobe-style this into the trashcan by my toilet, or maybe be a good citizen and try to wash it out this time?
We’ve all been taught the importance of recycling—it typically starts in the kitchen with jars and plastic bottles. Recycling was previously financially beneficial. As China implemented new limits on the recycling they purchase from the US, and low oil costs have made plastic production cheaper, it’s less about economic benefits and more about lessening the volume of products we’re putting into landfills.
One of my childhood chores was sorting our light glass, dark glass and cans in the garage. When Dallas no longer demanded separated recycling, it was a game changer that made my job a lot easier. However, even as a light waste-producing adult living in an apartment with “recycling valet,” why does it still feel as challenging as it did all those years back?
We live in the culture of convenience. Recycling an empty bottle of wine, requiring one quick rinse, is a breeze. Recycling a plastic bottle with a funky top and gunky lotion residue? I’d like to toss it in the trash and forget about it. Women ages 18 to 34 are the biggest consumers of beauty products, and only 50% of the US population recycle personal care products. “Don’t dish it if you can’t take it” is the beauty mantra I’ve instilled in myself every time I decide to purchase a new item. It came time to learn how to responsibly tackle my gross empties.
STEP 1: LEARN WHAT MATERIALS CAN BE RECYCLED WHERE YOU LIVE
Most of the time, your city website will have information about residential recycling, including which materials the municipal or private centers accept. If you live in an apartment, check with property management as to where recycling is delivered and what is accepted. If they don’t have an answer, press them for one! Most communities have single stream recycling, meaning no sorting is required. However, it’s always best to check prior to recycling items that might not be accepted (see contamination, below).
Plastics, the most common material for personal care products, are easy to recycle in most cities. Checking for numbers on recyclable containers is still required. For hard-to-recycle items (caps, tubes, etc.) companies such as TerraCycle offer free solutions for personal care packaging and more.
STEP 2: RINSE WHAT YOU CAN RECYCLE
Items we attempt to recycle but cannot be processed (such as plastic bags or styrofoam) or items that have not been property rinsed are referred to as “contaminated” recycling. Including these items in recycling has broader impacts than many might realize. If residues from plastics or glass dampen paper, for example, the paper becomes waste and therefore is sent to a landfill—all efforts to get the items to recycling facilities is wasted. Contaminated recycled also devalues the recycled items, giving them less market value, so recycling companies make less money. Over time, cost of recycling increases.
Contaminated items also impact the labor force at recycling facilities. Time and energy is spent removing contaminated items from machinery, therefore lessening productivity. If hazardous materials are recycled—or attempted to be recycled—workers can be exposed to these as well.
I have found it easiest to fill the used bottles with water while in the shower (reuse!) and let them soak overnight. For products such as shampoos and lotions, residues can typically be poured down the shower drain or flushed. If products are indeed toxic or hazardous, flushing only allows the chemicals to enter our water supply. You should throw these away in the trash. Best-case scenario, you’re able to use most (if not all) of the product prior to recycling.
STEP 3: COMPILE AND RECYCLE
Self-explanatory step—get the empty containers to the recycling bin! And applaud yourself for taking the time to rinse.
STEP 4: BE CONSCIOUS ABOUT YOUR NEXT PURCHASES
In an ideal state, the hassle of constantly rinsing plastic becomes obsolete by living a zero waste lifestyle. Lauren Singer at Trash is for Tossers provides many homemade toiletries solutions that could be fun to try. However, for beauty junkies, this might not seem too intriguing.
Some potential options are purchasing shampoos and conditions in bulk, ensuring these products are free of toxins (parabens, etc.) that are hazardous to dispose of, and only buying products that you truly love enough to use completely.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It's easy to beat yourself up about not being as environmentally friendly as you could be. Even choosing one, easy item to recycle in your beauty routine is better than tossing everything. I'm currently investigating various recycling and disposal techniques for cosmetics, nail polish and contact lenses. Awareness is the first step!