Here’s How Much Rubbish Your Hair Care Routine Adds To Landfill

Plastic is a problem. To give you a better idea of how big a problem plastic is, let’s start with some facts. Between 2017 and 2018, a total of 3.4 million tonnes of plastics were consumed in Australia. From that, only 320,000 tonnes of plastics were recycled, an increase of 10% from the previous year. While that may sound like an improvement, more than half (54%) was exported for reprocessing, leaving only 145,700 tonnes to be repurposed in Australia. In other words, Aussies created over 3 million tonnes of plastic pollution. Yikes. 

On an individual level, according to the WWF, the average Australian uses 130kg of plastic every year, with less than 12% recycled. Worse still, up to 130,000 tonnes of plastic will find its way into our waterways and the ocean. Although waste and recycling services operate all over the country, it’s often left to individuals to put their rubbish in the correct bins. 

Garbage in the garbage bin. Plastics and glass in the container bin, cardboard and paper in the other, and organic waste in the green bin. Simple, right? According to Planet Ark, it might not be that easy. Roughly 20% of what’s in our garbage bins should be in the recycling bin. Not good.

Although plastic is an incredibly versatile material, it takes hundreds of years before breaking down, turning into microplastics, which can be even worse for the environment. To avoid millennia more of pollution, and as a proud Australian-made and owned company, we’ve used technology advancements over the past 40 years to make our plant-based range even kinder to you and the planet.  

Are OC Naturals shampoo bottles recyclable?

Sourcing as many ingredients as we can from renewable and sustainable sources, we aim to do the same across our entire range with every single one of our bottles. Whether you buy shampoo, conditioner or our hard gel, every single one of our products is made from recycled PET plastic in our factory, powered with the help of a roof-mounted solar system to source sustainable energy. The only thing that isn’t recyclable is bottle caps and pumps, as they are made from a different material.

Where do OC Naturals source their plastic?

Visy. You’ve probably never heard of these guys, but you’ve certainly seen their impact. Visy functions under the mantra, “for a better world’. Running for over 70 years, this logistics company, among other things, operates a 100% recycled plastics plant, and it’s our one-stop shop for both recycling plastic and sourcing 100% recycled plastics. 

This incredible company recycle PET and HDPE into several products for Schweppes Australia, Goodman Fielder and, of course, us! Supporting the Australian Packaging Covenant’s (APC) sustainable packaging initiatives, we love working towards a better world for all of us. We use their Recycled PET bottles for almost all our product bottles, except our Detangling Spray, which comes in an HDPE bottle. 

However, OC Natural’s doesn’t stop there when it comes to living sustainability and caring for the world we inhabit. On top of our environmentally friendly spirit and mission statement, we also extend our love and respect to our furry friends. OC Naturals is vegan and cruelty-free. That means we never test on animals or use animal-derived ingredients - not now, not ever. Even our partners and suppliers are compliant with our strict standards, making every one of our products vegan-friendly and ‘choose cruelty-free’ accredited.  

Discover ten changes you can make right now to help the environment, starting with OC Naturals range of 100% Australian-made and owned body wash. Refresh, replenish, rejuvenate, invigorate, hydrate and moisturise your skin using plant-based ingredients, and rest assured knowing we source as many ingredients as we can from renewable and sustainable sources. 

Plus, all of our bottles are made from recycled plastic in our semi-solar powered factory. If you’re after vegan and cruelty-free hand and body care products, then find us at your local supermarket and enjoy natural products – and a kinder way of life – without breaking the bank.