Nivea aims at circular economy incorporating recyclable aluminium for aerosol cans

Nivea, the brand synonymous with the colour blue, is internally transforming itself into a green company with the heightened use of recyclable aluminium as a raw material for its packaging solutions. In the last two years, the company has seen immense transformations in their packaging formulas focusing more on the reduction of carbon footprint, which is also a first for a beauty brand. 

The parent concern of the company, Beiersdorf, based in Germany, is the main propagator of the Care Beyond Skin sustainability ideology that has three primary goals in mind; the Environment, Society and the Consumer. The Hamburg-headquartered master brand is very keen on creating a green circular economy and a climate-friendly future.

Beiersdorf strictly notifies: “Humanity is facing a growing amount of environmental and societal challenges, and the urgency, especially for global companies, to act and to contribute to a positive change, has never been higher. We formulated our corporate purpose—Care Beyond Skin—and with this, put our existing self-understanding into words. It states very clearly that we see our responsibility as going far beyond our core business of skin care.”

Beiersdorf claims to have a goal of achieving 30 per cent reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 in comparison with the overall emission rate of the year 2018, which is by far a very large industrial target to accomplish. Beiersdorf has also made various commitments around the key area of “Fully Circular Resources.”

Following other consumer goods packaging brands, Beiersdorf is also introducing a number of packaging methodologies and strategies which can be grouped under the ‘4R approach’, as named by the company. This strategy is all about Reduce, Recycle, Reuse and Replace in order to create more sustainable packaging.

Environmental consciousness has thrust Nivea into making aerosol cans with 100 per cent post-consumer recycled aluminium. The company has also introduced a new aerosol valve technology that diminishes increased chances of emission while extending the item’s life cycle. 

Nivea also has a refillable packaging system for hand soap alongside two new packaging solutions, like the plastic jar made from bio-based material and the feather-light bottle for shower gel that includes 96% recycled material. To add to the company’s achievements, in 2021, Nivea also replaced its laminated carton with metallisation permitting materials that can be sent for recycling.

Though maximum of Nivea’s skincare products is packed in plastic containers, it uses aluminium to pack deodorants or shaving gels, mostly in the form of aerosol cans.

Commencing from May 2021, Beiersdorf has joined hands in collaboration with Switzerland-based aluminium can company Nussbaum Matzingen AG to produce the company’s first aerosol can created with 100 per cent post-consumer recycled aluminium in a quest to reduce the carbon footprint left by its products.

The CTO of Nussbaum, Markus Tomasini, asserted that there are ample challenges to overcome in the production process of 100 per cent PCR aluminium alloy. Only 99.5 per cent virgin aluminium found in aluminium slugs can be pressure die-cast as aluminium cans due to its rigidity. Another big problem is the procurement of recycled aluminium since “only 20% of the global aluminium demand may be covered by recycled material.”

Even if Nussbaum could successfully procure the recycled aluminium, it would ultimately result in leaving a substantial carbon footprint due to elongated logistical time and difficult plus costly collection or sorting processes.

Markus Tomasini also confirmed that Nussbaum would use uni-material aluminium beverage can scrap retracted from the German Yellow Bin waste disposal system, where post-consumer plastic, metal, and paper waste is returned to earn collection points for recycling. Nussbaum applies the impact extrusion process to compress the aluminium scrap and transform it into a slug format. This process is also utilised in the usual can-making process.

Tomasini also narrated: “The waste collection point, the aluminium processor, and our factory are located within a span of 150 kilometres. We have short transport routes, something that optimally supports the sustainability goal. And what is extremely important: there are no compromises with regard to quality or appearance, nor are safety or processability compromised compared to standard aluminium aerosol cans.”

“Tool and process innovation was the key to being able to process the high alloy content in the post-consumer-recycled material,” he added.

Nivea became the first in the world to successfully incorporate 100% recycled-content aluminium alloy, named Nucan-PCR, on a commercial scale when the company revealed the can in December 2021 for its deodorants and shaving gels available in Germany. Nivea has continued to roll these products throughout the European retail market in recent days.

To induce a further reduction in GHGs, Nivea also has reduced the weight of the aerosol cans with the use of 100% PCR aluminium. The aluminium cans now used for Nivea deodorants have a reduced carbon emission percentage of 28 per cent because of the use of Nucan-PCR as the new creation agent instead of the conventional material, whereas, “For the shaving gel aluminium cans, the CO2 emissions could be reduced by even 35%,” the company illustrated.

The company will somehow curtail the use of 1,660 tonnes of primary aluminium in the year 2022 with the use of 100% PCR aluminium for making its Nivea Men Deodorants and the Nivea Men Shaving gels, the Packaging Expert Deo & Aerosols from Beiersdorf, Alban Bourcier shared with sources.