Are your sensitive consumers aware of the environmental impact of the cosmetic products you use? Are you looking to use organic and natural cosmetics that are considered safer, knowing that waste from the manufacturing process to common beauty products can cause environmental damage? But what if packaging made from fossil fuel products that won't degrade might end up in landfills? Scientists supported by the EU-funded BIOBEAUTY project have tackled this dilemma and developed a bio-packaging solution that offers the same environmental credentials as the product itself. The scientists replaced non-degradable plastic with polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from renewable resources such as cornstarch or sugarcane. They also added nanoclay and rosemary extract to improve the properties of PLA plastic and extend the shelf life of cosmetics. "As toxicologists, we know that even natural ingredients like rosemary can be toxic at appropriate doses," said Helinor Jane Johnston, PhD, associate professor of toxicology at Heriot-Watt University, a BIOBEAUTY project partner. Dr Johnston added: "At Heriot-Watt we tested the toxicity of rosemary extract and different types of nanoclay to select candidates with the least toxicity to the final product to ensure it was safe for consumers. We Focused on assessing potential harmful effects on the skin, responses were also investigated at target sites such as the liver and immune system."
Dr. Johnston stressed that natural and organic product developers "need packaging that matches their philosophy and consumer needs, greener packaging that reduces waste." She continued: "We are creating better ways to ethically test product. As part of this project, we used artificial skin to conduct a more comprehensive assessment of how the packaging reacts to the skin.” Since the natural ingredients used in organic products are free of toxic pesticides and fertilizers, their environmental footprint is less harmful than traditional . However, the continued use of non-biodegradable packaging in the cosmetic industry is a cause for concern, as reducing waste is critical to achieving a greener and safer environment. To address issues such as plastic waste disposal (Directive 94/62/EC) and the depletion of non-renewable resources, biodegradable packaging for natural and organic cosmetics with market advantages has been developed.
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