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Burt's Bees Joins Preserve Gimme 5 Recycling Effort

Further Closing the Loop on #5 Plastics

Burt's Bees Joins Preserve Gimme 5 Recycling Effort

Further Closing the Loop on #5 Plastics

Published 11-13-12

Submitted by Preserve

Burt’s Bees®, leading manufacturer of earth-friendly, natural health and beauty care products, has partnered with Preserve®, a leading sustainable consumer goods company to create a recycling solution for Burt’s Bees® Lip Balm, Tinted Lip Balm and Lip Shimmer tubes as well all Burt’s Bees plastic caps. The partnership will help divert more #5 plastics from landfills and provide new material for consumer goods like Preserve® toothbrushes and razors.

Today, Burt’s Bees produces the number one selling lip balm in the U.S. In fact, roughly one Burt’s Bees lip care or color product is sold every second. Each of these #5 plastic tubes can find a new life with the help of consumers and the Preserve Gimme 5 program.

“Our Beeswax Lip Balm started out in a clay pot, then moved into a tin, and didn’t end up in a yellow plastic tube until founders, Burt and Roxanne, were able to source a recycled plastic tube in the 1990s. We’re proud to take the next step in managing the life cycle of our lip care packaging by providing an important recycling service to our consumers through our partnership with Preserve,” says Paula Alexander, Director of Sustainable Business at Burt’s Bees.

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Burt’s Bees® Lip Balm, Tinted Lip Balm and Lip Shimmer tubes are made from #5 plastic

Polypropylene plastic, or #5, is the material choice for lip balm tubes and other sorts of everyday plastic packaging such as yogurt and hummus containers due to its versatility and flexibility. #5 plastic is one of the most benign plastics and can be easily recycled and reincarnated into new products.

Though polypropylene plastic is the most common plastic used in the U.S., according to the EPA, less than 1% of it is recycled. Additionally, packaging like Burt’s Bees lip balm and lip shimmer tubes can be too small to be collected easily and recovered in the automated separators used by most materials recovery facilities (MRFs).

Gimme 5 is a consumer-powered recycling system that expands recycling options for #5 plastics.  It closes the loop on #5 plastic by taking discarded items and recycling them back into material for new products. The program is available nationwide at participating Whole Foods Market® locations and select co-op stores or consumers can mail them to the Gimme 5 mail in program. Preserve is excited to have Burt’s Bees join the Gimme 5 program along with Stonyfield®, Brita® and Tom’s of Maine®. For more information about Gimme 5 or to find a Gimme 5 drop off location near you, visit mygimme5.com.

About Burt’s Bees
Burt’s Bees has been offering distinctive earth-friendly, natural health and beauty care products for 25 years. From a beekeeper’s backyard in Maine to the leading edge of natural, Burt’s Bees knows natural health and beauty care solutions from head-to-toe.  The brand creates products for total skin health that keep The Greater Good™ top of mind.  Burt’s Bees has approximately 400 employees with products available in the United States and over 35 countries worldwide as well as on its website http://www.burtsbees.com. No petrochemicals, no phthalates, no parabens and no sodium lauryl sulfate. Not tested on animals.

About Preserve
Preserve is a leading sustainable consumer goods company and producer of stylish 100% recycled household products. Preserve turns yogurt cups into toothbrushes and take-out containers into tableware. Through innovations in recycled materials and sustainable design, Preserve has been creating more resourceful ways to make everyday products for the kitchen, table, and bathroom since 1996. The company is powered by the recycling efforts of individuals and companies via its Preserve Gimme 5 program. This program accepts #5 plastics, 98% of which are not normally recycled—such as yogurt cups and other common household containers— transforming them into new Preserve products. All recycling and manufacturing is done in the USA. Preserve pioneers partnerships with premier product design, manufacturing, and sales and marketing firms to bring together thought leaders to drive industry change. Preserve empowers people to make everyday choices that are better for the earth while offering real solutions without compromise. Preserve products can be found at forward-thinking retailers like Whole Foods Market, and a variety of grocery and natural food stores.

Visit us online at www.preserveproducts.com

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Preserve

Preserve

Preserve makes stylish, high performance, eco-friendly products for the home including a full line of personal care, kitchen, tableware and food storage products using 100% recycled plastics that are BPA free and Made in USA.

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