Head & Shoulders has received the United Nation’s Momentum for Change award in the Planetary Health category thanks to the launch of the world’s first recyclable shampoo bottle made with 25 percent recycled beach plastic – the Head & Shoulders Beach Bottle.

An award that recognizes ‘novel solutions that balance the need for both human health and a healthy planet,’ the Procter & Gamble-owned brand was heralded for its partnership with TerraCycle and SUEZ, with the movement said to be the largest solution to ocean plastic in terms of volume and percentage used in packaging to date. The partnership was supported by volunteers and NGOs collecting waste found on beaches.

Lisa Jennings, VP Head & Shoulders and Sustainability Hair Care, Procter & Gamble, said, “We are humbled to receive this award from the United Nations together with our partners TerraCycle and SUEZ.  It encourages us to expand this pilot further and to continue the journey of innovating on circular economy solutions. The launch of the world’s first recyclable shampoo bottle made with beach plastic shines a light on scalable solutions to diverting waste from landfill and beaches. We are confident this project will continue inspiring other brands and industries to find solutions to the issue of plastic waste.”

The production method to produce the bottle is also innovative, being less energy intensive and emitting 60 percent less CO2 during the production process.

The award recognizes P&G’s move towards a more sustainable business model, with the company announcing plans in Europe for half a billion bottles a year to include up to 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic by the end of 2018. This equates to a total of 90 percent of all hair care bottles sold across P&G’s flagship brands in Europe.