Zero Co asks Australia to start small and help them untrash the planet

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Zero Co.

The global single-use plastic (SUP) problem is the sole reason that our mission-driven, Aussie startup Zero Co exists. In line with the launch of our exciting new range – the world’s first refillable and SUP-free shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and roll on deodorant – we’re asking Australians to join us in untrashing the planet by making small, incremental changes to daily routines which amount to a massive impact on the plastic problem long term.

The beauty industry in particular contributes significantly to the plastic problem in Australia, with over 179 Million SUP bottles worth of shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and skincare bought from the supermarket each year*. According to the Federal Government’s Waste Report, only 15% of the plastics Australians consume will actually get recycled**. Where will the remaining 85% go to? Landfill.

That means a crazy total of 152,150,000 SUP bottles of these body products alone will continue to end up in Australian landfills each year, unless we start taking matters into our own hands.

Zero Co’s Founder Mike Smith believes, “Our community has demonstrated the significant impact that individuals can have on a massive, global problem. Thanks to their support, in the last year and a half, we have removed the equivalent of 803,083 water bottles worth of rubbish from oceans and beaches by funding clean ups around Australia. And, thanks to our incredible Pouch Recovery Machine, we’ve stopped the equivalent of 789,325 water bottles worth of rubbish from ending up in landfill.”

Zero Co’s Pouch Recovery Machine is a first-of-its-kind piece of technology that has been engineered in Australia, developed to clean and sanitise used refill pouches that are returned by our customers (for free in a reply-paid envelope). Once clean, the pouches are refilled with product and sent back out to other customers. This unique, closed-loop refill model allows for zero waste over the customer’s lifetime, something no other brand in the world is delivering at scale with such a wide breadth of products on offer.

“We need to move towards a circular economy and, by adopting habits or consuming brands that support this movement, you are actively choosing to protect our planet and minimise your footprint,” says Smith.

Zero Co’s new body range has been developed alongside Dr. Kate Forbes, the ex-Global Head of Product at Aesop, who has assisted our team in producing products with industry leading ingredients lists that are free from silicones, parabens and EDTA.

Forbes says “It’s a brilliant concept and one that solves a significant challenge for the beauty industry. The innovative pouch cleaning solution that Zero Co has developed has allowed us to create these products in the liquid format that make it easy for our customers. It has been incredibly difficult, but the team have been persistent in creating products that leave no barrier to entry for the sake of planet-friendly.”

The new range expands the Zero Co line up to 14 personal-care and home-cleaning products, including two newly released fragrances of hand wash and body wash as we look to diversify our offering to a fast-growing community of customers.

Smith says, “We hope that by delivering our products carbon negative with the option to subscribe and ensuring their efficacy rivals with supermarket competitors, we can convince everyday Aussies that it is actually really easy to make the switch and start taking small steps towards big change.”

Australians can order Zero Co’s new body range today including shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, roll-on deodorant, hand wash (new fragrance) and bodywash (new fragrance) at zeroco.com.au/body-care.

^{*SOURCE: IRI Big Picture Data}

^{**According to the Federal Government’s Waste Report 2020 stating that 85% of plastics used by Australians, do not get recycled (ending up in landfill).}

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.