The Calcite Factory – processed calcite for a Circular Face Scrub

The Calcite Factory is an innovative facility where calcite – a byproduct of drinking water softening – is processed and made suitable for various product applications. This pilot plant was built in the port of Amsterdam. Waternet re-uses part of the processed calcite in the softening process. In the purification process, water is softened to prevent limescale from forming on heating elements in home appliances. The rest of the processed calcite is used in products like the backing of carpet tiles, lime to produce glass. Naïf uses this calcite as a scrub for a circular face scrub in the cosmetics industry.

The best skincare products that are kind to all: nature and humans

Naïf has the mission to make the best skincare products that are kind to everybody and nature. Their product Circular face scrub contains calcite beads, a residue that remains during the process of purifying water. Every year between 4,7 and 12,7 million tons of plastics disappear in the sea. An important part of these plastics are microplastics or microbeads. These are small plastic beads that are used is many cosmetics. For example, one scrub can contain over more than 100.000 micro particles of plastic.

By using the beads from the Calcite Factory, Naïf managed to develop world’s first circular beauty product with calcite, with a positive impact on the environment. In this way, the Dutch drinking water sector works towards the noble goals of a circular economy that leads to lower costs and the reuse of sustainable calcite. Hard drinking water is a problem all over the world. Sales talks concerning the supply of seeding material are being conducted with drinking water companies from Denmark, Germany, Belgium and France.