L’Oréal converts CO2 to packaging

The French beauty group L’Oréal, in partnership with LanzaTech and Total, has launched the first cosmetic bottle made from industrial carbon emissions.

Each of the three players brought their specific areas of expertise to the project. LanzaTech captures industrial carbon emissions and uses a unique biological process to convert them into ethanol, then the energy company Total converts the ethanol into the polyethylene used by L’Oréal to produce sustainable packaging.

The initiative demonstrates the commitment of L’Oréal and its partners to the development of a sustainable circular economy for plastics and paves the way for new opportunities. Last June, the French group unveiled its sustainable development goals for 2030 (L’Oréal for the future), focusing on biodiversity conservation, water management and the circular use of resources.

Although the project is still at an experimental stage, the three partners intend to develop it commercially and are looking to engage with other interested companies. L’Oréal plans to use CO₂-derived polyethylene in its shampoo and conditioner bottles by 2024.

The group posted third quarter revenues of €20.11 billion (+1.6%), an improvement on the difficult first half of the year when the coronavirus pandemic led to store closures worldwide.