L'Oréal USA to achieve carbon neutrality by 2019, shifts to renewable energy

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
Mar 1, 2018

L'Oréal USA announced all 21 of its US manufacturing and operations facilities will achieve carbon neutrality by 2019. The company will shift its energy use to its solar arrays, wind turbines, and renewable natural gas.

L'Oréal USA currently has 17 renewable energy installations across the US, operating solar arrays in Arkansas, Kentucky and New Jersey, as well as a wind turbine farm in Texas. L'Oréal USA has pledged to make changes across all 12 states where its facilities are located, claiming that its shift to carbon neutrality will save the equivalent of 1.8 million gallons of gasoline per year.

Frédéric Rozé, President and CEO of L'Oréal USA said achieving carbon neutrality is the next step in the company's plan to be a leader in sustainability.

Rozé said, "We have seen that a dedication to sustainability fosters innovation, inspires creativity and builds a strong team spirit." He added that the new steps towards carbon neutrality benefit the "local communities while being a long-term, financially viable solution."

L'Oréal USA has also signed a 15-year agreement to purchase renewable natural gas from a landfill in Kentucky. The renewable natural gas is produced through a refining process that converts landfill waste gas into clean renewable energy.

Jay Harf, Vice President of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability for L'Oréal Operations Americas shared, "We are proud to have found a local solution and approach with the potential to be replicated at landfills across the country."

To offset costs of using renewable natural gas, which is eight times more expensive than traditional fuel, L'Oréal USA will sell its environmental attributes into the transportation fuels market for approximately five years.