Hello Pomponnette,

 

Have you ever found yourself stuck in front of your two trash cans, asking yourself, "Okay, which one should I put my waste in?" - Well, so have we! -

While we're increasingly sorting our kitchen waste, the same can't be said for the bathroom... We forget our good habits and BAM - it doesn't make chocapic - but 75,000 tons of cosmetic and hygiene product waste per year - no, don't cry, Pomponnette - !

What percentage of French people do you think correctly sort their cosmetics? - We're reading your thoughts: it's less... even less... - Only 21% of French people correctly sort their cosmetic packaging... What if we increased that number?

To succeed in this challenge together, we're helping you decipher all those barbaric logos on our beauty product packaging so you no longer play "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" - pick and pick and colégram, bour and bour and ratatam - with sorting!

Because while it's clear that we recycle cardboard boxes, aluminum packaging, and glass... for plastic, it's not automatic!

So Pomponnette, ready to review with us?

 

Logo N°1: The Tidy man - not the teddy bear -

Let's start gently with the Tidy Man, a logo that serves... not much purpose in terms of sorting! It just encourages you to throw your packaging in the trash - just in case you suddenly felt like throwing your waste out the window! That said, unfortunately, just putting waste in a trash can is an effort for some... -.

 

Logo N°2: The green dot - cleaner than the black dot -

Like 59% of French people, you think it means your packaging is recyclable?
No - sorry Pomponnette - this small green logo simply indicates whether the brand is a partner in the packaging recovery program and pays money to one of the companies approved by the State to manage sorting and recycling in France - come on, you'll get there, we didn't know at first either! -.

Moreover, this logo has been banned since January 2021 on packaging (including cosmetics) because it caused too much confusion among consumers. But brands have until January 2022 to update their packaging, so you might still find it on your cosmetic products, Pomponnette ;)

 

Logo N°3: The Triman - because you sort, man -

Triman is the one to remember, the reference for logos in terms of recycling since 2015.
It indicates that the product is recyclable, and this logo is mandatory on all recyclable packaging and products - except glass -, on instructions or any other digital medium. So if you don't find it on the product, check the brand's website before concluding that it's not recyclable.

 

Logo N°4: The Mobius loop - who is that? -

It's the oldest logo, the universal symbol for recyclable logos since 1870.
When there's a % inside, it indicates the percentage of recycled ingredients.

So in this example, packaging with this logo would mean it's made with - quick quiz...? - 50% recycled plastic ingredients - easy peasy! -

 

Logo N°5: Different plastics

Most plastics have an identification number.
- Okay, now it's getting complicated... - 1 - PET = Polyethylene Terephthalate. Transparent and flexible plastic. Ex: water bottle
2 - HDPE = High-Density Polyethylene. Opaque and rigid plastic. Ex: shampoo
3 - PVC = Polyvinyl Chloride - to be avoided as it can release phthalates (endocrine disruptor) when heated -
4 - LDPE or LLDPE = Low-Density Polyethylene. Ex: freezer bag
5 - PP = Polypropylene. Ex: yogurt or butter pots
6 - PS = Polystyrene - be careful as it can release styrene, suspected of being carcinogenic -
7 - O = Others - the catch-all category -

These numbers tell you what you're dealing with, and if you want to make the right choice... - and the winner is... - choose PET, HDPE, and PP.

Other plastics like PVC or those used for supermarket bags (LDPE) are too expensive to recycle. Therefore, prioritize packaging and containers with numbers 1, 2, and 5; these are the ones that can be thrown into the yellow bin and will be easily recycled.

At Pomponne, we are committed to being as eco-responsible as possible with the packaging of our natural lipstick and our natural mascara. We do not use overpackaging or inserts, because the best waste is the one we don't produce. For our primary packaging, whether for the mascara made of plant-based plastic or the lipstick made of PP monomaterial, we tell you everything in the "eco-responsible pack" section on their product page. And if you want to know more about the other commitments of Pomponne natural care makeup, it's here.

 

There you go, Pomponnette, you know everything.

 

Do you think you remembered everything? Then a quick quiz before you go: what is the reference logo for recycling called? Can't wait to read your answer in the comments.

 

A smile does good, let's spread the Smile Power ;)

Agathe & Charline