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As a global business, Malibu C understands that threats, such as growing deforestation rates, rising carbon emissions and marine litter, are having a major impact on the environment. Packaging waste, on land and in the ocean, is especially insidious with many common plastics taking centuries to biodegrade. Malibu C knows packaging plays a large role in ensuring that they can bring their products safely to consumers around the world, that’s why they are rethinking packaging and making changes, like the introduction of their new EcoBlu® bottles.
The brand’s MaliBlu 9oz. and Liter bottles were already PET, PolyEthylene Terephthalate, recyclable bottles, but Malibu C wanted to take things a step further as recycling might not be available to all of its customers. The brand’s new EcoBlu® bottles are not only made with 98% recycled materials (and can be recycled again), but they are also designed with Eco-One® technology, which enhances the biodegradation of the bottles when disposed of in a biologically active landfill (appropriate facilities not available in all areas). Independent ASTM D5511 tests that represent biologically active landfills on representative packages have shown 60.6% biodegradation in 388 days.
What Does This Mean?
Malibu C is the first U.S. haircare company to incorporate REPREVE® and Eco-One® technology together into bottles. By 2050, if nothing changes, plastic in the ocean will outnumber fish. REPREVE®, the global leader in recycled plastic bottles, or PCR (post-consumer resin), also collects ocean-bound plastic bottles. REPREVE® collects these bottles from areas within 50km of coastlines that do not currently have a formal waste or recycling system and turns them into flakes, and those flakes are melted into a high-quality resin. That resin is then used to create other products, like Malibu C’s EcoBlu® bottles!
The EcoBlu® bottles, excluding the cap and label, are comprised of 49% REPREVE® Our Ocean® recycled ocean-bound plastics and 49% REPREVE® post-consumer recycled plastics. And REPREVE® is the only eco-fiber embedded with FiberPrint®, a proprietary tracer technology, enabling product origins to be verified with U TRUST™ verification to certify transparency and traceability.
What Happens if Your EcoBlu® Bottle Isn’t Recycled?
Ideally, you would recycle your EcoBlu bottle when you get to the end of your favorite Malibu C product, but if you can’t, this is where the brand’s innovation is next level. Eco-One® technology, added to the EcoBlu® bottles in the production process, enhances their biodegradation through a series of chemical and biological processes when disposed of in a biologically active landfill. Again, excluding the caps and labels.
When the EcoBlu® bottles are placed in a biologically active landfill, the ingredients in the Eco-One® technology allow for the formation of a coating, called “biofilm,” on the surface of the plastic. The biofilm is made up of microbes which penetrate the plastic, while other ingredients in Eco-One® work together to expand the molecular structure, in turn making room for the microbes. The microbes send out chemical signals to attract additional microbes to the site. Once all the microbes have been assembled, they collectively feast on the plastic, breaking down the chemical bonds at an accelerated rate. This means that if EcoBlu bottles don’t get recycled, instead of occupying landfill space for centuries or not breaking down at all, they biodegrade in years.
After the biodegradation takes place, the leftover material is biomass with trace amounts of biogas that can be used to generate electricity and renewable natural gas. The Eco-One® technology differs from other “degradable plastic additives” available in the market today, mainly because it is the leading additive that enhances organic biodegradation of polymers or plastic. During organic biodegradation, microbes consume materials such as food waste, wood, plastic with Eco-One®, etc. and produce biogas as a result. In anaerobic landfills, biogas from organic biodegradation can be recaptured as a high-value source of renewable energy!
Malibu C’s Commitment to Sustainability
As a company, Malibu C is committed to researching, developing, and manufacturing earth-friendly wellness products. This means in addition to using PCR bottles, and partnering with REPREVE® and Eco-One® for its revolutionary EcoBlu® bottles, the brand is committed to reducing its water footprint, and using 100% vegan, plant-derived ingredients. Malibu C believes the less water, energy, and other natural resources all of us use, the more sustainable we all can become. And a better world begins with each step taken toward sustainability.
For more on Malibu C’s commitment to sustainability, check out their impact report. To stay up to date with the brand, be sure to follow on Instagram and TikTok.
