In 2022, the cosmetics market alone was valued at USD 262.21 billion, and is expected to continue growing to hit USD 363.80 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2023). Taking into account the growing value of cosmetics, inclusive of makeup, skincare and other beauty products, do we truly understand the impact these products have on the environment and our bodies? While we may make light of how pollutive makeup was towards human health in the past and dismiss it as a lack of knowledge, are we aware of its pollutive impacts today towards the collective environment?
A key concern is the pervasiveness of plastics throughout the cosmetics supply chain. From product creation, to packaging and end-of-life, the issue of plastics re-surfaces time and again. In cosmetic products, these microplastics or microbeads are used to alter the texture to make it smoother and thicker for application, or to provide the product with exfoliation qualities (Anagnosti et al., 2021).
Figure 1. Microbeads in cosmetics. Source: (Guerranti et al., 2019)
While these microbeads may not be found in alarmingly high concentrations, their small size of approximately 0.1mm make them easy to ingest and accumulate up the food chain (Guerranti et al., 2019). Furthermore, these microbeads may also damage to the digestive systems of the marine life that consume them (Guerranti et al., 2019). These microplastics have not only been widespread in marine pollution, but it has also been found to have high risk of consumption by humans, as they are found in the commonly consumed portions of marine life (Anagnosti et al., 2021).
Zero Waste Week has highlighted that plastic packaging from the cosmetics industry exceeds 120 billion units every year, where the need for landfills result in the deforestation of 72.8m2 annually alongside its contribution to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Banuba, 2023). Unfortunately, for plastic packaging in cosmetics, they are often single-use to maintain the hygiene and quality levels of the product (Cinelli et al., 2019). Furthermore, the contamination of the product on the packaging itself make the recycling process complex and costly, which suggests why majority of the packaging end up in landfills and in the ocean (Cinelli et al., 2019). Not to mention, the plastics itself is not the only cause of pollution and harm to marine life. The chemicals within cosmetic products that are also washed into oceans, such as parabens and sulphates, are unsafe for marine life (Mishra et al., 2021).
Cosmetics pollution is ever-present, from the production process to when it becomes discarded as waste. As consumers, we often focus on the quality of the product and how it can improve our external appearance. However, we fail to consider, or even dismiss, its impact on the environment. Since cosmetics are often viewed as a feminine product, be it from skincare to makeup to fragrances, some may place the blame of this pollution entirely on women. In the next part of the series, we will then delve in the gendered and wider power relations at play within the cosmetic pollution scene today.
References
Anagnosti, L., Varvaresou, A., Pavlou, P., Protopapa, E., & Carayanni, V. (2021). Worldwide actions against plastic pollution from microbeads and microplastics in cosmetics focusing on European policies. has the issue been handled effectively? Marine Pollution Bulletin, 162, 111883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111883
Banuba. (2023, January 20). Cosmetic waste. Banuba AR Technologies: All-In-One AR SDK for Business. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://www.banuba.com/blog/cosmetic-waste#:~:text=According%20to%20statistics%20from%20the,to%20ecological%20and%20sustainable%20standards
Cinelli, P., Coltelli, M., Signori, F., Morganti, P., & Lazzeri, A. (2019). Cosmetic packaging to save the environment: Future perspectives. Cosmetics, 6(2), 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics6020026
Grand View Research. (2023). Cosmetics market size, Share & Growth Analysis Report, 2030. Cosmetics Market Size, Share & Growth Analysis Report, 2030. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cosmetics-market#:~:text=The%20cosmetics%20market%20was%20estimated,USD%20363.80%20billion%20by%202030
Guerranti, C., Martellini, T., Perra, G., Scopetani, C., & Cincinelli, A. (2019). Microplastics in cosmetics: Environmental issues and needs for global bans. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 68, 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2019.03.007
Mishra, P., Kiran, N. S., Romanholo Ferreira, L. F., & Mulla, S. I. (2021). Algae bioprocess to deal with cosmetic chemical pollutants in natural ecosystems: A comprehensive review. Journal of Basic Microbiology, 62(9), 1083–1097. https://doi.org/10.1002/jobm.202100467