Back to Mac

BACK-TO-M·A·C

M·A·C SHARES
YOUR
COMMITMENT
TO THE PLANET

We’re continuing to evolve our efforts toward helping reduce our environmental impact and remain dedicated to improving our longstanding pioneer take-back
program, Back-To-M·A·C.

30 YEARS OF

SUSTAINABLE

RECYCLING

DID YOU
KNOW...

Most makeup packaging isn’t accepted by your local recycling service, so we created the Back-To-M·A·C program over 30 years ago to help create a place for makeup packaging in the circular economy.

30 YEARS OF

SUSTAINABLE

RECYCLING

490,000
POUNDS

of containers were processed in the calendar year 2020 in North America!

30 YEARS OF

SUSTAINABLE

RECYCLING

HOW
MUCH?!

That’s right! That’s the equivalent weight of over
4,600,000 Lipsticks – and we’re excited to keep the
momentum going!

30 YEARS OF

SUSTAINABLE

RECYCLING

IMPROVING OUR SUSTAINABILITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS

Done with your M·A·C products? Return your clean, empty products in-store or online to recycle. What is not recycled is converted to energy. Be part of the solution for a more beautiful tomorrow – today!

HELP GIVE YOUR

OLD M·A·C

PRODUCT

For over 30 years, Back-To-M·A·C has recycled or recovered your used product packaging and, where possible, given the old plastic a second life. What cannot be recycled is converted to energy.

A SECOND LIFE

Return your clean, empty products to a participating M·A·C counter* in-store or ONLINE.

If they can be recycled, they’ll be shredded, washed, re-pelletized and recycled into the production of new materials – or, in some places, they’ll become a new M·A·C product!**

The packaging that cannot be recycled will be converted into energy.

*Excluding California

**Closed-loop recycling available in North America

Currently, California law inhibits the recycling of returned cosmetic and personal care products. In compliance with local law, M·A·C collects the returns, diverts them from landfill and utilizes a third party to convert the returns from waste to energy.

GOING BEYOND
OUR PRODUCTS

Our plastic efforts go beyond our products.
We are proud to donate $100,000 to Plastics for Change
to enable the collection of over 550,000 pounds of plastic
(equivalent to 12,500,000 plastic bottles!) from our planet while
supporting approximately 200 plastic collectors and their
communities for one year with a host of social services.

OUR

WE ARE CONTINUING TO DESIGN OUR PRODUCTS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IN MIND – MAKING SMARTER, MORE RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CHOICES WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR ICONIC PACKAGING AESTHETICS AND PERFORMANCE.

ENVIRONMENTAL

COMMITMENTS

M·A·C IS TAKING STEPS TO ADVANCE
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING. TODAY,
MORE THAN 50% OF OUR PACKAGING*
IS RECYCLABLE, REFILLABLE, REUSABLE,
RECYCLED OR RECOVERABLE.
*BY WEIGHT

50%+

OUR

TO USE RESPONSIBLY SOURCED PAPER PRODUCTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

AMBITION

CURRENTLY, 100% OF OUR FOREST-BASED FIBRE CARTONS ARE FSC CERTIFIED.

100%

50%

2025

WE ARE WORKING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED (PCR) MATERIAL IN OUR PACKAGING BY UP TO 50%, BY 2025.

OFFSETS
CARBON

M·A·C COSMETICS OFFSETS CARBON EMISSIONS FROM U.S SHIPPING*

*THE ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES INC. IS FUNDING EMISSION REDUCTION PROJECTS TO OFFSET CO2E EMISSIONS AS A RESULT OF DELIVERIES MADE FROM OUR M·A·C US FULFILLMENT CENTER TO OUR CONSUMERS' DELIVERY ADDRESSES (EXCLUDES BUY ONLINE AND PICKUP IN STORE, AND SAME-DAY DELIVERY).