An integrated approach to address the biodegradability of cosmetic formulations as part of a corporate sustainability strategy.

Abstract

Objective: The biodegradability of organic chemicals with usual down-the-drain disposal in their end-of-life is a key parameter to be considered by industries pursuing sustainability in their new product developments. It is a property that, once improved in any formulated product portfolio, will allow for a significant reduction in the presence of its ingredients in the natural environment, with a potential reduction in the pollution-related environmental impact after consumption. This article aimed to propose an intelligent strategy for addressing biodegradability in the cosmetics sector, with the potential to support both product claims and corporate sustainability initiatives.

Methods: The framework for achieving a portfolio biodegradability indicator is composed of three levels of assessment, the first being an ingredient level assessment, the second being an individual product biodegradability calculation (PBI-Product Biodegradability Index), and finally a third level to calculate an emission-based, company-wide biodegradability indicator (GBI-Global Biodegradability Index). A case study is presented and discussed in detail, as a proof of applicability of the whole framework to support new developments for an improved environmental performance. Important insights in terms of ingredients assessment criteria are also presented.

Results: A fictitious portfolio composed of two soaps (a bar and a liquid), two hair care products (shampoo and hair conditioner) and one bath oil resulted in a GBI of 92.8%. The bar soap was the main contributor for this global index, with a PBI of 98.8% and a relatively high consumption volume of 1 ton/year, which accounts for approximately 66% of the total portfolio consumption. Other products, like hair care, presented lower PBIs, but their lower mass consumption representativeness within the portfolio prevented a significant negative impact on the global index. The main strategic directions derived from the case study, to ensure a stable and high biodegradability of the consumed organic mass, were properly discussed.

Conclusion: The output of this framework provided an intelligent management strategy for innovation, where reformulation efforts can be targeted at products and ingredients with the highest potential to improve the biodegradability profile of the total organic mass released to the environment from a given portfolio.