The Beauty and Personal Care Industry
Supports a Global Agreement to Address Plastics Pollution
March 2, 2022 – Cosmetics and personal care products companies are global leaders committed toproduct safety, quality, and innovation as well as sustainable business practices. Our member
companies are some of the most beloved and trusted brands in beauty and personal care today. As
the manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers
rely on to enhance their health and well-being, – from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo tomoisturizer, makeup, and fragrance – our industry contributes significantly to the world economy.
We strongly support a legally binding treaty that will address plastics pollution through improving
waste management and recycling systems; by promoting innovation and eco-design; and by reducing
the production and use of virgin plastic where possible and beneficial to the environment. We
believe that promoting a circular and sustainable economy is intrinsically related to solving this issue.
Our companies support the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, andmany have made robust pledges 2 while taking progressive action in support of transitioning to acircular economy and ending plastics pollution. In this regard, our industry is fervently exploring andadopting where currently possible different distribution models including refilling and recharging aswell as alternative packaging materials. At the same time, we recognize the importance of plastics inachieving the UN SDGs 3 and the role they can play toward achieving a circular economy. In manycases, plastics, especially when recovered and reused, may have a lower carbon footprint or be thealternative that best safeguards our environment 4.
Our industry supports a global legally binding treaty to address plastics pollution based on thefollowing principles:Adaptability in implementation: The treaty should allow flexibility for signatories to create
frameworks that best enable them to meet the objectives agreed upon within the treaty.

1 Personal Care Product Council’s 2019 “Creating a More Beautiful World” sustainability report
2 Ellen McArthur Sector Insights: Progress Report;
3 UN Sustainable Development Goals

4Cosmetics; Household and Personal Care

Plastics and Sustainability: A Valuation of Environmental Benefits, Costs, and Opportunities for Continuous Improvement

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Interventions across the full lifecycle of plastic: The treaty must include both upstream anddownstream measures to address plastic pollution.

Life cycle assessments: Cognizant of the pressing need to limit climate change, plastics andalternatives should be evaluated along their lifecycle.

Guidance on product design: Flexibility in product design is paramount and we encourage theparties to collaborate with industry to develop guidelines on product design that enhance
circularity, foster innovation while also ensuring product integrity and consumer safety.

Increase post-consumer technology capacity and deployment: Post-consumer managementof plastics, including effective collection, recycling, and value recovery of waste, is essential toeliminate leakage into the environment and to adequate, high quality Post-Consumer Recycled
Plastic feedstock which is necessary for a circular economy to function.

Harmonized definitions and reporting: To the extent possible and without prejudice to local
differences, the treaty must provide harmonized definitions and reporting on plastic and plastic
waste that leverages existing international standards and definitions (e.g. ISO). In the absence ofsuch standards, definitions and metrics, parties should collaborate with industry to develop theseusing validated and harmonized methodologies.

Proportionality: The treaty must respect the principle of proportionality to ensure outcomesthat efficiently and equitably address the issue.

Endorsed by the regional personal care products industry associations from: ASEAN; Central
America; Europe; and Latin America
Endorsed by the national personal care products industry associations from: Argentina;
Australia; Belgium; Canada; Colombia; Czech Republic; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; France;
Germany; Greece; India; Italy; Japan; Mexico; Netherlands; New Zealand; Paraguay; Peru;
Philippines; Poland; Russia; S. Korea; South Africa; Spain; Switzerland; Thailand; Turkey; Ukraine;
Uruguay; UK; USA; Singapore
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