JORGEN GADE HYLDGAARD
HYGADE ApS,
Mejsevaenget 7, DK-5610 Assens, Denmark

Abstract

It has become increasingly apparent there is a clear, long-term demand for sustainability with respect to consumer products.
The objective of this paper is to provide different approaches to sustainability via (i) the two lifecycle based label principles: Eco-label and Natural/Organic labels and via (ii) CSR principles and to provide a better understanding of what is (iii) the contrary to sustainability and how to find and interpret relevant information on these aspects. In order to provide a better understanding of sustainability and relevant aspects, it is of the utmost importance to employ all available tools and work in unison the consumers.

INTRODUCTION

Definition: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (1)

As cosmetic chemists, and in reference to the above definition, one faces (at least) two problems in this regard:

1. 90 % of cosmetic products are based on raw materials that are, at least, partly prepared from finite (petrochemical-based) resources such as mineral oil or gas. Despite petroleum companies’ best, optimistic estimations for continued oil supply, it is evident that supply is less than the demand. Consequently, it could be conceived that the net result is a reduction in the available of such resources for the next two generations. The use of cracked petroleum products as raw materials for synthesis of ingredients not only affects cosmetics but also medicine and other important products for mankind. (2)
2. The use of such finite resources produces two clearly undesirably by-products: waste and pollution. One such example of a by-product is carbon dioxide (CO2). According to research (3), accumulation of CO2 in the Earth’s ...
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