VASELINE® SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY

In addition to the Vaseline® promise of healthy skin, we promise to be mindful of the impact we have on the planet and take steps to improve. We’ve already made changes to include more PCR (post-consumer recycled materials) and to reduce plastic in our bottle designs. But that is not all - we will continue to learn & evolve in the journey towards a more sustainable future. Learn about our recent packaging redesign initiatives below.

Image showing the design contract between the old bottle design and current one

LESS PLASTIC PER LOTION BOTTLE

We are working to reduce the amount of plastic used in our products while ensuring that the packaging protects the products inside. We’ve redesigned our lotion bottle to use less plastic.

We’ve started with lotion bottles, and we are working on our Healing Jelly jars next! We don’t have the solution yet, but are exploring ways we can redesign the Healing Jelly Jar so that they contain less plastic in the future.

Circular graphic showing the process of recycled plastic usage

INCREASED USE OF RECYCLED PLASTIC

We are increasing the use of recycled plastic in our bottles in North America.

Manufacturers, including us, are doing a small part by using post-consumer recycled plastic which in turn creates more demand for post-consumer recycled plastics which can help move the industry as a whole to enable increased recycling of those materials.

In 2022, we updated our lotion bottles in the US and Canada to be composed of 50% recycled plastic content. This was a step up from our previous bottles which contained 0-25% recycled plastic content.

We are exploring ways to further increase our use of recycled content in our packaging in the future, but these enhancements take time as we need to ensure that we can preserve the quality of our products and source the required materials. We’re testing multiple routes and plastic materials to find the best solutions to use recycled plastic and preserve the lotion experience you expect from us.

Vaseline Recyclable Pump Advanced Repair 32oz

RECYCLABLE PUMPS

Vaseline® Intensive Care lotion bottles now have recyclable pumps!

Most pumps available today include an internal metal spring in a plastic casing, making them difficult to recycle. Vaseline’s new recyclable pump replaces the metal spring with one made of #5 plastic, making it possible to dispose of the bottle and pump as one unit by simply placing it directly into the recycling bin (subject to local recycling policies). Learn more about our new recyclable pump.

Hand holding Vaseline Nourish Moisture bottle in the air

ARE VASELINE® PRODUCTS RECYCLABLE IN THE US?

Most are, but not all. We know the rules around recycling can be confusing, that’s why we created this handy guide.

What’s holding us back? Some packaging components are not yet recyclable but provide useful functionality to our product. For example, most tubes in the US are not easily recyclable. While we are working to make our tubes meet the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) recyclability guidelines, mixed material tubes are not widely collected and processed so they are not currently recycled.

Check the back of pack of the product you have used up for instructions on how to dispose of the packaging. We are one of over 500 brands that are part of the How2Recycle program, a standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public in North America. If you want more information on the program, you can go directly to How2Recycle.com.

LOTION BOTTLE WITH CAP

RECYCLABLE

Empty & replace Cap- Empty the bottle and keep the cap on the bottle, both pieces are recyclable.

Check this guide to see how your local municipality recycles "#2 Plastic Bottles".

Vaseline Lotion Bottles with Pump Lineup

LOTION BOTTLE WITH Pump

RECYCLABLE

Empty & Replace Pump- Bottles must be emptied and the pumps should be reattached before recycling. This will allow them to be recycled together, as smaller pieces have a harder time being recycled in the North America recycling system. If you still have the plastic locking clip for the pump, please reattach before recycling (note that, due to its size, the locking clip cannot be recycled on its own). If your bottle did not come with a clip, you may have our prior pump – please discard and recycle the bottle.

Check this guide to see how your local municipality recycles "#2 Plastic Bottles and “#5 Plastic”.

If your municipality does not recycle #5 plastic, please remove and discard the pump before recycling the bottle.

HEALING JELLY JARS (1.75OZ TO 13OZ)

RECYCLABLE

The plastic used in Vaseline® Healing Jelly Jars is now considered by How2Recycle to be widely recyclable!

Empty & Replace Cap- both the jar and the lid are recyclable, keep them attached so they can be recycled together as smaller pieces have a harder time being recycled.

As of July 2022, How2Recycle has changed the classification of Vaseline Healing Jelly jars made of polypropylene (#5 plastic) from “check locally” to “widely recyclable.” We’re updating the back of pack labels to reflect this change. For more information visit here.

Please note the 0.25oz Vaseline® Lip Therapy jars are not recyclable due to their size. See the “Body Balm Sticks and Other Lip Products” section for more information.

Lip Tins

Tubes

Not RECYCLABLE

While we are working to make our tubes meet the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) recyclability guidelines, mixed material tubes are not widely collected and processed so they are not currently recycled. 

More to come as the industry progresses, in the meantime tubes should be disposed of in the trash.

BODY BALM STICKS AND OTHER LIP PRODUCTS

Not RECYCLABLE

At this time, Vaseline® body balm and select lip products (shown above) are not recyclable and must be disposed of in the trash.

These products are not recyclable for one or more of the below reasons:

Products smaller than 2 inches x 2 inches may be too small to be captured by most of the machines that sort products for recycling.
Some products are made of multiple materials and the recycling system cannot separate the components for processing.

When you recycle properly, more recycled plastic may become available to us and other manufacturers, which can help reduce the industry’s reliance on virgin plastic.

You can help by recycling your Vaseline® products where possible!

OUR PRODUCTS KEEP EVOLVING

We may be a 150 year old brand, but Vaseline® is always evolving. We’ve been taking steps to identify ways to use less virgin plastic in our pack designs, increasing use of recycled plastic, and are continuously exploring new ways to reduce our plastic waste. While we’ve made the most progress on our lotion bottles, we are also actively working on the other formats we sell.

Check out our brand timeline to see our key sustinability milestones across the years.

STAY UP TO DATE ON OUR JOURNEY

We are doing what we can – but know it is not yet enough. That’s why we’ll continue to update our plans and make improvements. Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date!

Mission

VASELINE® SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY

IMPROVING OUR APPROACH TO PLASTIC

LESS PLASTIC PER LOTION BOTTLE

130

TONS

OF PLASTIC AVOIDED BETWEEN 2018 AND 2022, DUE TO THE PACKAGING REDESIGN, THAT’S THE EQUIVALENT OF

2.3

MILLION

VASELINE® 20.3OZ BOTTLES (THE REDESIGNED FORMAT)

INCREASED USE OF RECYCLED PLASTIC

500

TONS

OF RECYCLED PLASTIC USED IN VASELINE® PRODUCT PACKAGING IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE 2018, THAT’S THE EQUIVALENT OF

8.7

MILLION

VASELINE® 20.3OZ BOTTLES

(THE REDESIGNED FORMAT)

RECYCLABLE PUMPS

ARE VASELINE® PRODUCTS RECYCLABLE IN THE US?

VASELINE® RECYCLING GUIDE

LOTION BOTTLE WITH CAP

LOTION BOTTLE WITH Pump

HEALING JELLY JARS (1.75OZ TO 13OZ)

Lip Tins

Tubes

BODY BALM STICKS AND OTHER LIP PRODUCTS

When you recycle properly, more recycled plastic may become available to us and other manufacturers, which can help reduce the industry’s reliance on virgin plastic.

OUR PRODUCTS KEEP EVOLVING

STAY UP TO DATE ON OUR JOURNEY

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VASELINE® 20.3OZ BOTTLES
(THE REDESIGNED FORMAT)