Only 9% of plastic, globally, is recycled. The other 91% ends up in landfills, the environment, or is incinerated. Yes, you read that statistic right. It’s a little upsetting, especially if you’re someone who fills up your blue bin with plastics faithfully or drives to a recycling center and waits in a long line just to make sure the plastic bottles you’ve used get recycled. The tough truth is it’s unlikely that plastic is ever going to be given a new life.
We’re excited to be moving away from plastic use in our packaging and switching to aluminum. There will still have a small amount because we’ll still be offering the trial/travel size of our PMS & Period Support that you can find on store shelves. We’ll soon be switching our newly launched Pre+Probiotic for Women to our aluminum bottles, so keep your eyes peeled for when we make that transition!
Why are we ditching plastic?
On top of the fact that very little is actually recycled, not all plastic is recyclable, and even when it is, it can only be recycled a maximum of two to three times. We aren’t big fans of those numbers. Another thing to keep in mind about plastics is that if it’s contaminated with food, it will end up in the trash anyway. Most people won’t take the time to clean out plastic containers that held food before dumping them.
What about compostable plastics? These are a bit more complicated than they seem. Firstly, they are not meant to be recycled, so don’t put them in your recycling bin! The second thing to note is that during the biodegradation process, these plastics separate into smaller pieces, which become microplastics that can leach into our systems. So, while the thought behind the idea was admirable, unfortunately, they are doing more harm than good.
If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you know that we never intended to use plastic in our packaging. We started with glass jars, but once we got onto retailer shelves, we had to make a change to avoid costly issues. We temporarily made the switch to plastic, but we’re so excited to be transitioning to a super sustainable option!
Why did we choose aluminum?
Aluminum is not only 100% recyclable, but it can also be recycled again and again without degrading its inherent value. The aluminum industry is also constantly working to reduce its carbon impact and over the last 30 years, the North American aluminum
industry has cut its carbon footprint by more than half. What an inspiration!
Aluminum products help significantly save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions which is amazing! It’s also incredibly light as far as weight which means you can do more with less and it takes less energy to transport the metal from one place to another. Want to know our favorite fact? Nearly 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today. Now that’s what we call sustainability.
We’ve worked closely with our manufacturers to make sure our bottles still seal as well as glass or plastic ones to protect and maintain the ingredients for as long as possible, so we’re not compromising our products. We’re proud to be the first supplement company to make the switch to aluminum bottles so we can make strides in reducing our environmental impact and being as sustainable as possible.