Just don’t: Wishcycling + beauty empties
Recycling should be simple, but with a lack of national regulations and misleading recycling claims on packaging, it often feels confusing and can lead to wishcycling. Wishcycling happens when we toss items into the recycling bin, hoping they’ll be recycled even though they may not or never will be. This leads to contamination of our curbside bins and makes it harder for our local recycling facilities to do their jobs.
A survey of over 500 respondents revealed that many people engage in wishcycling because they want to avoid contributing to landfills or assume that “someone else down the line knows better.” While wishcycling is well-intended, the reality is that it causes more harm than good.
Why you shouldn’t wishcycle:
Wishcycling creates major issues for material recovery facilities AKA MRFs (the companies that sort your curbside bins), making it harder for recyclable materials to be processed efficiently and properly. Here’s why it’s problematic:
Contamination: Mixing recyclable and non-recyclable items forces recycling facilities to separate them, which is costly, time-consuming, and sometimes even dangerous for workers. If a batch is too contaminated, recyclers may discard the entire load, sending not just the wishcycled package but every package it comes in contact with to landfill instead.
Decreased Material Quality: Non-recyclable materials lower the quality of the recovered material. Contaminated batches may result in lower-grade recycled products—or worse, they might become entirely unusable.
Machinery Damage: When wishcycled packages like pumps or flexible plastics slip into a machine, they can jam or damage sorting machines, leading to costly repairs and delaying the recycling process.
A False Sense of Achievement: When people think they’ve made a sustainable choice by wishcycling, they’re more likely to continue the behavior. Unfortunately, this perpetuates the cycle of contamination and materials sent to landfills.
Why is beauty packaging so hard to recycle?
Beauty products are some of the trickiest items to recycle because their packaging often is made up of multiple materials, not cleaned out, and they are too small and flexible to be captured by MRFs’ machinery. This makes them unrecyclable with standard curbside recycling programs.
Tips to avoid wishcycling and wasteful consumption
Avoiding wishcycling can start long before you find yourself standing in front of the recycling bin. Here are three key ways to help you prevent wishcycling: practicing savvy purchasing habits, staying informed about your local recycling guidelines, and encouraging companies to adopt sustainable packaging.
Shop Savvy and Sustainable
Avoid the purchase of hard-to-recycle packaging: Refrain from purchasing packaging that is difficult to process, such as droppers, pumps, and sachets. Instead, choose products that use recyclable materials like glass, metal, or cardboard.
Buy what you need: Skip buying products that will collect dust in your drawers and say no to samples that you won't use. By cutting down on your consumption, you can decrease the amount of beauty waste you generate.
Buy your products in bulk containers or try refill options: Purchasing your go-to products in bulk can help decrease overall packaging waste, and these larger containers are more likely to be accepted by curbside recycling programs. Alternatively, visit a local refill store, try out a refillable product, or a low-waste product like a shampoo bar.
Stay Informed About Your Local Recycling
Know what’s accepted in your area: Visit your local recycling program’s website to check what items they can process. Recycling guidelines can change, so stay updated.
Use helpful resources: Tools like Recycle Check by The Recycling Partnership can help confirm what can and cannot be recycled curbside.
Consider other programs: If your curbside program doesn’t accept your beauty empties, then explore alternatives like Pact’s hard-to-recycle beauty packaging collection programs. Check out Pact’s collection guidelines and packaging drop-off locations.
Always properly prepare your recyclables: Empty and clean your beauty containers to ensure they’re not contaminated with leftover product, which could make them non-recyclable.
If you’re on the fence, double-check: If you’re not sure if your local curbside program or Pact will take the item, then reach out and ask before putting the item in a recycling bin.
Encourage Sustainable Packaging
Reach out to your favorite brands: Let your go-to beauty companies know that sustainable packaging is important to you. Or give them kudos if they are doing a great job with their packaging. When brands hear from customers, they’re more likely to prioritize sustainable packaging solutions.
By making conscious shopping choices, staying informed about local recycling rules, and advocating for sustainable packaging, we can reduce beauty waste and avoid wishcycling.
References:
Vayona, Anastasia, et al. “A consumer attributions‐based approach for investigating the effect of corporate greenwashing on wishcycling.” Sustainable Development, vol. 32, no. 6, 26 May 2024, pp. 6732–6747, https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3057.
Beddington, Emma. “Stop ‘wishcycling’ and Get Wise: How to Recycle (Almost) Everything.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 7 Feb. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/07/stop-wishcycling-and-get-wise-how-to-recycle-almost-everything.
Ready to shop more sustainably? Check out our consumer shopping guide below.