Recycling technology start-up Loop Industries (Terrebonne, Québec / Canada; www.loopindustries.com) has signed a letter of intent with cosmetics giant L’Oréal (Clichy / France; www.loreal.com) to “close the loop” on PET packaging. Loop has a patented technology that depolymerises PET waste, such as from beverage bottles, consumer goods packaging and textiles, and repolymerises it to create virgin-quality “Loop” rPET. Loop rPET resin also meets the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) requirements for food-grade packaging.

The two companies intend to complete a definitive supply agreement for Loop rPET resin in the US and EU by the end of autumn 2018. This year, Loop Industries also announced collaborations with PepsiCo subsidiary Gatorade as well as Evian – see Plasteurope.com of 23.01.2018.

L’Oréal has made several steps to further packaging sustainability and recycling. In 2017, its Redken, Kiehl’s and Pureology brands brought shampoos to market that were in 250ml bottles made from 100% recycled plastic. Last year, the company also launched a bio-recycling consortium with French recycling technology specialist Carbios (Saint-Beauzire; www.carbios.fr) – see Plasteurope.com of 08.11.2017.

Several months ago, the cosmetics company announced it had co-founded with Swiss consultancy firm Quantis International (Lausanne; www.quantis-intl.com) a sustainable packaging initiative for cosmetics called "Spice". Its members include Avon, Clarins, Coty, L’Occitane en Provence, LVMH, Shiseido, Sisley as well as the French business cluster for cosmetics and perfumes (spanning the Centre-Val de Loire, Île-de-France and Normandy regions), Cosmetic Valley, and the French federation of beauty companies, FEBEA.