Full Circle Takeback progamme Q&A
How does the Full Circle Takeback Programme work?
While many Aveda products are recyclable at home, a handful of items - pumps, small bottles (150ml or less), samples, pouches, makeup items and tubes - are not due to the composition, size or shape of the material. This is where Aveda Full Circle Takeback comes in: consumers are encouraged to drop off these empties that can’t be curbside recycled to any of the participating Aveda salons across the UK. In exchange, guests will receive 200 Aveda Plus Rewards points (our loyalty programme) per eligible product returned.1 Aveda will then collect the empties and pass them along to its third party recycling partner, who will recycle what they can, with any remaining materials being converted waste to energy.
You can think about Aveda Full Circle in 5 simple steps:
1. Step 1: Recycle what you can at home or work.
2. Step 2: Bring your empties that can’t be curbside recycled to participating AVEDA salons
3. Step 3: Items placed in Aveda Full Circle Takeback box
4. Step 4: Collect your Aveda Plus Reward bonus points for eligible items1
5. Step 5: Empties are shipped to Aveda’s third-party recycling partner where they will be recycled or converted waste to energy.
What Aveda products are recyclable at home?
In the UK, currently you can recycle the following items in your household recycling bins (if you are unsure then please visit https://www.recyclenow.com/local-recycling):
1. Bottles with the PET(E) or HDPE label on them (including litre-sized bottles)
2. Glass bottles or jars with the cap removed
What items are accepted as part of the Takeback Programme?
All Aveda products can be returned to the participating locations. However, we highly encourage you to recycle at home those items that are able to be placed in municipal recycling bins (bottles with PET(E) or HDPE on them, including litres, and glass bottles or jars with the cap removed). The Full Circle Takeback programme specifically offers consumers an opportunity to recycle those items that cannot be recycled at home or work: pumps, small bottles (150ml or less), samples, pouches, makeup items and tubes, which will be recycled or converted waste to energy. Guests will receive 200 Aveda Plus Rewards points per eligible product returned.1
Why can’t I curbside recycle all Aveda products?
While many of Aveda products are recyclable at home, a handful - pumps, small bottles (150ml or less), samples, pouches, makeup items, and tubes - are not, due to the composition, size or shape of the material. Aveda encourages guests to reuse these items wherever possible, and when finished, this is where the Aveda Full Circle Takeback programme comes in. Here are the items considered non-recyclable (and eligible for the takeback program) and why they can’t be recycled in your household recycling bins:
1. Pumps: Pumps are currently not recyclable in practice or at scale because they are typically made of many different materials.
2. Pouches: These are not recyclable in practice or at scale due to the different types of materials used to make them.
3. Smalls (small bottles, samples and makeup items): This includes products that are less than 150ml in size. Given their smaller size, they are unlikely to successfully make it through the mechanical recycling process.
4. Tubes: Tubes have the ability to be recycled at the proper facility, however they are currently not available to be recyclable in practice or at scale.
Where do I bring my empties?
Bring your empties to any of the participating salons in the UK {INSERT LINK TO SALONS}. There will be a Full Circle Takeback bin where products can be placed.
What happens to the empties collected via Aveda’s Takeback Programme?
Items returned to us will be collected at participating Aveda salons. From there, the empties will be passed along to our third-party recycling partner, who specializes in innovative recycling and was selected due to its focus on the circular economy. They will wait until they have enough volume to run our materials through their recycling process. At that point, all items will go through a rigorous sorting process and those able to be recycled using our partner’s state-of-the-art equipment will be reground for use in new packaging. Items unable to be sorted properly (non-plastics like glass and metal) will be converted waste to energy.
Are there limitations to the items that will be accepted?
All Aveda products can be returned to the participating locations. However, we highly encourage you to recycle at home those items that are able to be placed in your household recycling bins (these include bottles with PET(E) or HDPE on them, glass bottles or jars with the cap removed, and litres). Guests will only receive 200 Aveda Plus Rewards points for eligible products returned.1
Why shouldn’t I bring in all of my Aveda products?
Items able to be recycled at home/curbside should ideally stay there. This ensures the most direct route to a recycling facility and cuts back on additional transportation, processing and sorting.
Do I get Aveda Plus Rewards Points for every empty item I bring in?
Guests will receive 200 Aveda Plus Rewards points per eligible product returned.1 While Aveda will accept all empties, guests will only receive Aveda Plus Rewards points for returned items that can't be recycled in your household recycling bins.
Where is the programme available?
Currently, Aveda’s Full Circle Takeback programme is in place at salons across the UK and a handful of salons in Europe. {INSERT LINKS TO SALON LIST}. The goal is to roll out the programme in additional countries in the near future.
Is the programme the same by region?
The programme varies between the UK and Europe based on availability of the Aveda loyalty programme and participating locations.
What is Aveda packaging made of?
We've been on a mission of caring for the beautiful world we live in since 1978, and our journey continues today. From our products to our packaging, we keep our environmental impact in mind with everything we do, and we continuously work to minimise packaging and maximise recycling. We're the first beauty brand to use 100% post-consumer recycled materials in our packaging. And where this isn't possible, we have started to combine post-consumer recycled materials with bioplastic made from sugarcane that won't compromise recycling systems. At this point in time, more than 85% of our skin care and hair styling PET bottles and jars contain 100% post consumer recycled materials.
What are the benefits of participating in the Full Circle Takeback programme?
Our goal with the Full Circle Takeback programme is to offer a takeback mechanism for those items that are difficult to recycle via your at home recycling bin. The takeback programme is intended to directly target those items that may not be able to be recycled in typical recycling streams, ultimately repurposing the material. As a brand, Aveda continues to strive towards a goal of using 100% PCR in packaging and putting forth products that are curbside recyclable. As we work towards those ambitious goals, Full Circle Takeback offers consumers an alternative avenue to dispose of their empties that aren’t accepted curbside.
What is PCR?
PCR stands for “Post-Consumer Recycled.” In practice, this means materials that have been used and recycled (think, milk bottles and laundry detergent bottles) and are then re-purposed to become “post-consumer recycled” material. Recycled plastics are less wasteful than new plastics in how they are created and in the very fact that they divert materials from a landfill. Most Aveda plastic bottles are made with post-consumer content coming from previous packages like milk bottles or laundry detergent bottles.
What is PET?
PET (also abbreviated PETE) is short for polyethylene terephthalate, the chemical name for polyester. PET is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is completely recyclable. PET can be identified by the #1 in the triangular "chasing arrows" code, which is usually found molded into the bottom or side of the container.
What is HDPE?
High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum. It is easily recycled and widely accepted as recyclable around the world. HDPE can be identified by the #2 in the triangular "chasing arrows" code, which is usually found molded into the bottom or side of the container.
1While Aveda will accept all empties, guests will only receive Aveda Plus Rewards points for returned items that can't be recycled locally. The current list of items eligible for Aveda Plus Rewards points includes: tubes of any size, pouches, pumps, anything 150 ml or less (pumps removed), samples and travel sizes + all makeup items.