The environmental impact of the products we use every day goes far beyond responsible recycling. Global brands are aware of their responsibility to improve sustainability at six key stages in the product lifecycle.
When you seriously toss a used plastic bottle in the trash can, you might imagine that it is about to go on a big environmental adventure in which it will be recycled into something new – a piece of clothing, a car part, a bag, or even another bottle. . . But while it may have a fresh start, recycling is not the start of its ecological journey. Far from it, every moment of a product’s life has an environmental impact that responsible brands want to quantify, minimize and mitigate. A common way to achieve these goals is through a life cycle assessment (LCA), which is an independent analysis of the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, often broken down into these six key stages.
Every product, from soaps to sofas, starts with raw materials. These may be minerals extracted from the earth, crops grown in fields, trees cut down in forests, gases extracted from the air, or animals that are caught, raised or hunted for certain purposes. Obtaining these raw materials comes with environmental costs: limited resources such as ore or oil can be depleted, habitats destroyed, water systems altered, and soils irreparably damaged. In addition, mining causes pollution and contributes to climate change. Agriculture is one of the largest sources of raw materials and many global brands work with suppliers to ensure they use sustainable practices that protect valuable topsoil and local ecosystems. In Mexico, global cosmetics brand Garnier trains farmers who produce aloe vera oil, so the company uses organic practices that keep the soil healthy and uses drip irrigation to reduce water stress. Garnier is also helping to raise awareness among these communities about forests, which help regulate local and global climates, and the threats they face.
Almost all raw materials are processed before production. This usually occurs in factories or plants close to where they were obtained, but the environmental impact may extend further. Processing of metals and minerals can release particulate matter, microscopic solids or liquids that are small enough to be airborne and inhaled, causing health problems. However, industrial wet scrubbers that filter out particulate matter offer a cost-effective solution, especially when companies face hefty pollution fines. The creation of new primary plastics for production also has a major impact on the environment: 4% of the world’s oil production is used as a raw material for production, and about 4% is used for energy processing. Garnier is committed to replacing virgin plastic with recycled plastics and other materials, reducing production by nearly 40,000 tons of virgin plastic every year.
A product often combines many raw materials from around the world, creating a significant carbon footprint even before it is produced. Production often involves accidental (and sometimes intentional) releases of waste into rivers or the air, including carbon dioxide and methane, which directly contribute to climate change. Responsible global brands are implementing rigorous procedures to minimize or even eliminate pollution, including filtering, extracting and, where possible, recycling waste – exhausted carbon dioxide can be used to produce fuel or even food. Because production often requires a lot of energy and water, brands like Garnier are looking to implement greener systems. In addition to aiming to be 100% carbon neutral by 2025, Garnier’s industrial base is powered by renewable energy and their ‘water circuit’ facility treats and recycles every drop of water used for cleaning and cooling, thereby ridding countries of already overburdened supplies such as Mexico.
When a product is created, it must reach the consumer. This is often associated with the burning of fossil fuels, which contributes to climate change and the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. The giant cargo ships that carry almost all of the world’s cross-border cargo use low-grade fuel with 2,000 times more sulfur than conventional diesel fuel; in the US, heavy trucks (tractor trailers) and buses account for only about 20% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Thankfully, delivery is getting greener, especially with the combination of energy-efficient freight trains for long-distance deliveries and hybrid vehicles for last-mile deliveries. Products and packaging can also be designed for more sustainable delivery. Garnier has reimagined shampoo, moving from a liquid stick to a solid stick that not only gets rid of plastic packaging, but is also lighter and more compact, making delivery more sustainable.
Even after a product is purchased, it still has an environmental impact that responsible global brands try to minimize even at the design stage. A car uses oil and fuel throughout its life cycle, but improved design – from aerodynamics to engines – can reduce fuel consumption and pollution. Similarly, efforts can be made to minimize the environmental impact of repairs such as building products so that they last longer. Even something as everyday as laundry has an environmental impact that responsible brands want to reduce. Garnier products are not only more biodegradable and environmentally friendly, the company has developed a fast rinse technology that reduces the time it takes to rinse products, not only by reducing the amount of water needed, but also by reducing the amount of energy used for washing. heat food and add water.
Usually, when we finish working on a product, we start thinking about its impact on the environment – how to ensure a positive attitude towards it. Often this means recycling, in which the product is broken down into raw materials that can be reused to make new products. However, more and more products are being designed to be easier to recycle, from food packaging to furniture and electronics. This is often a better “end of life” option than incineration or landfill, which can be wasteful and harmful to the environment. But recycling is not the only option. The lifespan of a product can be extended simply by reusing it: this can include repairing broken appliances, recycling old furniture, or simply refilling used plastic bottles. By moving towards more biodegradable packaging and working towards a circular economy for plastics, Garnier is using more of its products as environmentally friendly fillers for refillable bottles, greatly reducing the product’s environmental impact.
LCAs can be long lasting and expensive, but responsible brands are investing in them to make their products more sustainable. Recognizing their responsibility at every stage of the product life cycle, responsible global brands like Garnier are working to create a more sustainable future in which we are increasingly less sensitive to the environment.
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Post time: Jan-03-2023