Are natural essential oils sustainable?

Popular essential oils around the world

In an age where more natural and sustainable options are preferred, essential oils are becoming more and more popular around the world as an alternative to artificial fragrances.
The global market size is estimated to be around $21 billion in 2022, and is expected to double to $44 billion by 2032.

What are essential oils?

Essential oils, also known as essential oils, are generally defined as "concentrated plant extracts that retain their natural scent and flavor." They are extracted from thousands of different plants, including various flowers, fruits, and trees.

Essential oils have a long history, having been used in ancient India, Egypt, Persia, and other countries several thousand years ago. Later, Arabs discovered a way to extract essential oils from plants using steam distillation. This technique quickly spread to Europe in the Middle Ages.

Since the second half of the 19th century, the production of essential oils has increased significantly, and they are now widely used in fragrances such as perfumes and cosmetics, as well as in foods and beverages, dental products and medicines.

Essential oils are believed to have powerful antibacterial, antiviral, sedative and antidepressant properties, and are said to boost the immune system, boost energy levels and reduce stress.

How essential oils are produced

Do you know how these essential oils are produced?

The most common method is steam distillation.
The raw plant material is placed in a distillation pot, and steam is pumped into the pot from below. The aroma molecules then turn into water vapor and rise. The vapor is then condensed to become a liquid (essential oil). Steam distillation is the most common manufacturing method because it is cost-effective.

Other methods include solvent extraction, mechanical pressing, and using fats to extract the oil.

But no matter which method you use, you first need to harvest the flowers, fruits or trees. These plants can be grown on farms or harvested in the wild.

It takes 4,500 kg of roses to produce about 450 g of essential oil.

In fact, most essential oils require huge amounts of plants and resources to produce even a small amount . For example, to produce about 450g of essential oil, the following amounts are needed:

• Rose petals: 4,500 kg
• Lemons: 1,500
• Lavender: 113kg
• Lemon balm seedlings: 2,720 kg
• Rosemary leaves: 113 kg
• Eucalyptus leaves: 22.6kg
• Jasmine buds: 4 million

The amount of resources required varies depending on the type, but more resources are required if the plant is difficult to extract or has a low yield. Weather also plays a role. The yield of plants increases or decreases depending on the weather, and the amount of essential oil that can be extracted from plants is not constant from year to year.

In addition, a large amount of water is required to grow plants, and a large amount of water and electricity is also used to extract essential oils from plants.

How the plants are harvested

There are two methods for extracting plants from which essential oils are made.

Cultivation and harvesting in managed farms

Large companies that produce essential oils manage farms and cultivate the plants that are the raw materials. When preparing the land for the farms, forests may be cut down. In addition, it is necessary to control the temperature and humidity to maintain the growing environment for the plants. This requires a lot of electricity.

Harvesting wild plants

Wild-grown plants are also sometimes used as a source of essential oils, and this is the preferred harvesting method for consumers because it does not require the use of pesticides, fertilizers or unnecessary resources.

In this case, there are usually rules in place in the area where harvesting takes place to protect the ecosystem. For example, you may not harvest more than 10% of the wild crop in one harvest. However, there are also cases where overharvesting is rampant because there are no regulations in place to ignore the rules.

Plants in danger of extinction due to popularity of essential oils

There are essential oils derived from the sap and resin of trees such as frankincense and myrrh.
Unlike flowers, trees are often cut down throughout the year rather than seasonally, and sometimes over-cutting is done to extract as much sap as possible.

Sustainable harvesting methods weaken and eventually kill trees, resulting in a gradual decline in the numbers of these ancient trees.

These two aren't the only plants under threat.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists endangered plants on its Red List , and in fact many essential oils come from plants that are endangered.

For example, the following plants, which are popular for their essential oils, are also designated as endangered species.

• Sandalwood
• Cedarwood Atlas
• Rosewood
• Agarwood

For example, sandalwood is said to be on the verge of extinction due to illegal over- harvesting in India and Indonesia, as the rapidly increasing demand for essential oils puts strain on the specific plants from which it is sourced.

Other Environmental Issues Due to the Popularity of Essential Oils

Most essential oils are highly flammable, which is why some cities abroad have banned the recycling of glass bottles that came with them. Even small amounts of essential oil remaining in the bottles can pose a danger to recyclers and disposal sites, so they must be disposed of as household hazardous waste.

It's also important to know that some essential oils are toxic to aquatic life, and if they are discharged into waterways, rivers, or oceans, they could impact marine ecosystems.

How to choose sustainable essential oils

So how can you choose more sustainable essential oils?
Finally, I will introduce how to make these choices. We should strive to make choices that are kinder to the global environment, other living things, and humans.

1. The raw plant Check to see if it's on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List
2. Check how the plant was harvested (ask the manufacturer)
3. Avoid resource-intensive essential oils such as rose, jasmine, and lemon balm.
4. Choose essential oils that are produced domestically whenever possible (in terms of CO2 emissions)
5. Check the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the essential oil (use products from manufacturers that disclose it). The MSDS will tell you about toxicity to aquatic life and other animals.

In addition, many types of essential oils are allergens to humans. If you apply them directly to your skin, you may become sensitized. When using the original solution, be sure to dilute it before use.