Sustainability

Sustainability

We take sustainability seriously. We are a Benefit Society: we have integrated into our company statute the specific purpose of having an impact on society and the environment.

Our Commitment

R5 is in line with the European Union, which in its 2020 Action Plan reiterates that the use of packaging is an issue that needs to be addressed clearly and promptly. To ensure that all packaging in the European market is reusable or recyclable in an economically sustainable manner by 2030, the Commission will revise Directive 94/62/EC to strengthen the mandatory essential requirements for packaging placed on the European market.

The actions needed are those outlined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation:

- eliminate unnecessary plastics

- innovate to ensure re-use, recyclability or composting of plastics

- Make the use of all plastic items circular.

Measuring

The R5 System of products and kits (permanent bottles and refills), is aimed at reducing and preventing the production of additional plastic. We decided from the very beginning to measure the environmental footprint of our products throughout their life cycle; we started by carrying out a quick LCA (Life Cycle Screening) study in order to compare the environmental impacts with those of conventional products. The study showed that the packaging and shipping system of R5 concentrated products generates a strong reduction on all impact categories and in particular the one related to Climate Change, measured in kg CO2 eq.

We are constantly engaged in the research and testing of different technologies of concentrated products to identify and improve the product-efficacy-format combination that combines the objective of reducing environmental impacts, also through increasingly green formulations, with the guarantee of high product performance.

We believe that the achievement of 2030 Agenda goals should move every company. With R5, we are focusing on SDG 12: Ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns and on SDG 14: Life below water. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
We are also working to address SDG 6 through the definition of new, increasingly greener formulations, which we expect to update you on shortly.

Each R5 product is PLASTIC NEGATIVE certified.

We are proud to be among the first companies in the world and the first in Italy, to more than offset our plastic footprint by becoming Plastic Negative with rePurpose Global. Achieving our Plastic Negative certification is a step in our sustainability plan.

Packaging: PVA Refills

In order to achieve our goal of improving environmental impacts, we have decided to work on different packaging and product technologies. We are in the process of filing patents and R&D is at the heart of our initiative.

Our refills are enclosed in a film produced from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a water-soluble synthetic polymer that does not release toxic or harmful substances and is biodegradable through the action of microorganisms in both aerobic and anaerobic environments.

PVA is odorless and has many other properties and we are convinced that pushing to find new uses outside the detergent industry can be a step forward in low impact packaging. That's why we chose this technology, even if it requires a lot of work in terms of product preparation and formulation.
More and more countries are adopting Extended ProducerResponsibility (EPR) policies, an environmental protection strategy in which the producer is responsible for the entire life cycle of the product for take-back, recycling and final disposal. Using a PVA-based packaging innovation is one way to address EPR programs. Now it's up to us to push further and further into creating products without traditional packaging.

Primary and secondary packaging

We have also worked on primary and secondary packaging to develop suitable solutions for transporting and storing the product, trying to minimise additional shipping packaging and using FSC®-certified cardboard with a recycling rate of at least 70%.

For the supply of adhesive labels (required on some packages) we worked with a supplier who has adopted a green production protocol: chemical-free pre-press process, water-based varnishes, 100% reduction of water consumption in printing, 100% use of renewable sources, FSC certified recycled paper and use of new paper not derived from wood, waste reduction and CO2 offsetting.

PET was chosen as the material for the pemanent bottles because it is the best material for containing household detergents. It retains the characteristics of the product, is lightweight and durable. The bottle has a potentially infinite lifespan and is 100% recyclable in plastic when it reaches the end of its life.

The spray in the R5 kits is made of plastic, in particular polypropylene (PP), HDPE and LDPE; we are working on a new one made preferably from recycled or mono material.

impact report 2022

Our first Impact Report

This has been a really important year for us. It is the first one for us and this is our first Impact Report. We know that we are still at the beginning, that we still have to go a long way and work harder. We are doing it, we will not stop, despite the not easy time and despite the fact that the road so is sometimes more strenuous. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far and to those who would like to share with us this journey toward an increasingly impactful transition.

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