In its first anywhere in the world, Garnier, a leading global beauty brand, has set up a plastic waste collection centre in Chennai with an aim to collect 2,000 tons of ocean-bound plastic wastes every year. The facility, in Manali, was set up in partnership with social enterprise Plastics for Change.
Speaking to businessline on the sidelines of the launch, Adrien Koskas, Global Brand President – Garnier, L’Oréal, said the plastic collection center will empower the lives of 2,000 people from the local communities.
Garnier said it has been partnering with Plastics for Change since 2020 to collect and recycle plastic while enabling informal waste collectors, waste entrepreneurs and their families to earn a stable income and improve their livelihood. Garnier has helped collect the equivalent of 539 tons of plastic and support more than 3,200 beneficiaries since 2020.
Recycled for use
Koskas said the plastics collected have been integrated into the packaging of Garnier’s Ultra Doux range in European markets. “For the first time, Ultra Doux bottles are made with 100 per cent recycled plastics, of which 30 per cent will be ocean-bound plastic.”
Garnier will also set up plastic collection kiosks across 20 prominent locations in Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi to make collection services accessible to all. Koskas said the beauty brand has also partnered with e-commerce partners Amazon and Myntra, as part of which Garnier will recycle two plastic bottles, through Plastics for Change, for every Garnier product bought on these platforms.
Andrew Almack, CEO and Founder, Plastics For Change, said the social enterprise was launched with a mission to use plastic waste as a resource for creating dignified livelihoods and alleviating poverty. “Our goal is to connect a million waste collectors through fair-trade supply chains by 2030. This collection centre is a major milestone for Plastics for Change and Garnier.”