L’Oreal cuts water consumption per product by 23%

In 2012, the company set up several projects to reduce water consumption, including a water harvesting device at its Pune plant in India and a new water recycling system at its Suzou plant in China.

Optimising the cleaning cycles had already reduced water consumption by approximately 30% between 2005 and 2011 but the new harvesting technology was brought in to meet the company’s 50% reduction target.

By the end of 2012 the installation was recycling 40 to 50 kilolitres of water per day, approximately 15% of the plant’s requirements. The system has the capacity to treat 90 kilolitres of water, 30% of its consumption every day.

In Suzhou, China, L’Oreal installed a new water recycling system, which recycles 80% of water used and approximately 5% of the water consumed at the plant.

In addition, L’Oreal has reduced its CO2 emission by 38.8% between 2005 and 2012, a reduction of 92,102 tons.

This reduction is partly due to 22.5% of the energy the company consumed coming from renewable sources in 2012.

CEO Jean-Paul Agon, said:”Pursuing these [environmental] objectives, with the ongoing support of our suppliers, allows us to progress continuously. For instance, L’Oréal has reduced its CO2 emissions by 38.8% since 2005, even though the Group’s growth has risen substantially over this period”.

Leigh Stringer