On National Clean Beauty Day, TerraCycle Urges Consumers to Rethink What Happens After the Last Pump

Trenton, N.J. – July 15, 2025 — National Clean Beauty Day celebrates transparency in beauty—but it’s also a reminder that what’s inside the packaging isn’t the only thing that matters. This year, TerraCycle® is calling on consumers to extend their clean beauty commitment by keeping hard-to-recycle beauty waste out of landfills and incinerators.

While many brands and consumers have embraced clean formulas, the industry still generates more than 120 billion units of packaging annually. Most of it—especially components like pumps, wands, applicators, and mixed-material containers—ends up in the trash. In fact, an estimated 95% of cosmetic packaging is discarded rather than recycled, ultimately heading to landfills or incinerators.

“Unlike ingredients, packaging often gets overlooked in the clean beauty conversation—but it’s one of the most lasting parts of the product,” said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “Most beauty packaging is designed without sustainability in mind, which means even the most conscious routines create waste. Our Zero Waste Box™ and Pouch™ solutions give consumers a way to recycle beauty products and packaging.”

To support that effort, TerraCycle offers a range of Zero Waste Boxes™ and Zero Waste Pouches™ that make it easy to keep beauty waste—regardless of brand—out of landfills and incinerators. These solutions are designed to fit seamlessly into everyday routines and help consumers responsibly dispose of personal care products. Options include:

• Beauty Products and Packaging Zero Waste Box™ and Pouch™
  Recycle empty cosmetic packaging such as lotion tubes, foundation bottles, lip balm sticks, mascara tubes, eyeliner pens, lipsticks, and sample-size containers.

• Personal Care and Beauty Accessories Zero Waste Box™ and Pouch™
  Ideal for makeup brushes, sponges, applicators, hair clips, disposable razors, and other non-electric grooming tools—including travel-sized and smaller accessories.
  
  

Participating is simple. Consumers order the appropriate Zero Waste Box or Pouch, fill it with accepted beauty waste, seal it, and return it using the prepaid shipping label. Once received, the contents are recycled into pellets that can be used to make new products such as shipping pallets, outdoor furniture, and plastic lumber—giving new purpose to materials that would otherwise be sent to landfills or incinerators.

Clean beauty is about more than clean ingredients—it’s about clean disposal. This July 15, consumers can celebrate National Clean Beauty Day by making their routines more sustainable and supporting a future where beauty doesn’t come at the planet’s expense.

TerraCycle, the leader in collecting and recycling complex waste streams, created Zero Waste Boxes to help consumers and businesses recycle waste not typically accepted through municipal recycling. To learn more about TerraCycle’s beauty recycling solutions, visit www.terracycle.com. 

About TerraCycle
TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to rethink waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community across a wide range of accessible programs, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and individuals. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit www.terracycle.com.