Head & Shoulders shampoo brand by Procter & Gamble has won the UN Momentum for Change award in the planetary health category, it was announced 12 Oct.

The award, an initiative which commends novel solutions that balance the need for both human health and a healthy planet, recognised the partnership between P&G, Terracycle and SUEZ behind the launch of what is claimed to be the world’s first recyclable shampoo bottle made with beach plastic. The partnership, said P&G, is bringing about the “largest solution” to ocean plastic to date in terms of volume and percentage used in the package.

Introduced in June 2017, the bottle, made with 25% recycled beach plastic is considered a technological breakthrough. Compared to the standard model of producing virgin plastic, the new technology is less energy-intensive and emits 60% less CO2 throughout the production process.

Additionally, P&G announced that in Europe by end of 2018 more than half a billion bottles per year will include up to 25% post-consumer recycled plastic.

This represents more than 90% of all the hair care bottles sold in Europe across P&G’s hair care portfolio of flagship brands like Pantene and Head & Shoulders.

P&G also believes that the launch of the beach bottle has inspired its other brands to follow suit, including UK’s dish washing brand Fairy, which recently launched a recyclable bottle made with plastic collected from the beach.

“We are aware that the milk industry in France is now planning on commercialising grey coloured milk bottles made with recycled plastic,” the company announced.

"It [the award] encourages us to expand this pilot further and to continue the journey of innovating on circular economy solutions,” said Lisa Jennings, VP Head & Shoulders and sustainability hair care, Procter & Gamble.