LCA measuring global warming potential and resource consumption on the basis of carbon and material footprints of plastic and glass cosmetic jars found that a slightly lower impact for glass. The study was conducted by the Wuppertal Institute on behalf of the Federal Association of the German Glass Industry (BV Glas). Cosmetic jars made of plastic are increasingly used by cosmetic brands in the low price segment, where they are appreciated for that low cost, but also in the high-end segment, as technology now allows production of heavy jars with thick walls and more luxury external features. In order to evaluate the respective environmental impacts of both materials, BV glass commissioned the Wuppertal Institute to analyse four standard cream jars available on the German market with a filling volume of 50ml. "There was actually no public studies available on the environmental impact of cosmetic jars," said Dr J Overath, DG of BV Glas. The project team thus performed a LCA of both heavy and light weight jars (and lids). The conclusion was that while lightweight plastic and glass cosmetic jars have similar environmental impacts, it is highly ineffective - in terms of sustainability - to produce heavyweight plastic jars that imitate the aesthetic characteristics of glass.
