Life cycle assessment of cosmetic packaging scenarios

Abstract

With the increasing demand for beauty products, the global cosmetic packaging market has experienced notable growth. Concurrently, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about the importance of sustainability and showing a growing preference for environmentally friendly products. As a result, corporate managers are realising the necessity of broadening their objectives beyond traditional financial goals and adopting sustainable practices. To facilitate the transition towards sustainability, the European Commissioner and European Plastics Producers are implementing regulations and setting targets for the future. These initiatives include raising EoL recycling rates, increasing recycled content in products, and reducing packaging waste. This dissertation aimed to identify the key factors impacting packaging sustainability as emphasised in published studies and central to the sustainability targets of popular cosmetic companies. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the environmental sustainability effects of these factors on a cosmetic compact produced by Toly Products Ltd. in Malta and to develop a customised impact calculator based on these findings. Using SimaPro, an LCA was conducted to assess the influence of the impacting factors on the environmental impacts of cosmetic compacts manufactured using ABS, PP, PET, PLA and WPC. The findings from the analysis indicate that all factors examined in this study had a positive effect on the overall environmental impact. A Design of Experiments was also performed to investigate potential interactions among the factors and determine which factors had the most significant positive impact. The analysis revealed that dematerialisation and recycled content were the factors with the highest beneficial impact. Furthermore, this study determined that WPC was the least environmentally impactful material in a scenario where the majority or all of the impacting factors were maximised. PP was determined to be the most sustainable material in other scenarios, including those aligned with packaging regulations set for 2030.