2Sustain

Over the past few years, there have been dramatic developments in sustainable packaging options for the world’s leading beverage manufacturers.

First, the Coca-Cola Company developed the recyclable PlantBottle, made partially from plant-based material.

Then, PepsiCo unveiled the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based resources, and began offering eco-friendly cup options to its foodservice customers.

Now, PepsiCo Beverages Canada has announced the introduction of the 7UP EcoGreen™ bottle, Canada’s – and North America’s – first soft drink bottle made from 100 percent recycled PET plastic. (more…)

Plastic bottle recycling by consumers reached a record high in 2009, increasing two percent to nearly 2.5 billion pounds for the year.

The 20th annual National Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report, released last month by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) and American Chemistry Council (ACC), also showed that the recycling rate for plastic bottles rose, too, inching up another one percent to reach 28 percent in 2009. Over the past 20 years, Americans have increased the pounds of plastic bottles returned for recycling each year –although that’s not at all surprising considering how plastic bottle consumption has increased annually, as well.

Fortunately, America’s plastics and recycling industries continue to invest in developing technologies and infrastructure to recycle plastics in communities across the nation. (more…)

Marks & Spencer is now the first retailer to convert its entire range of mini (25cl) still wine bottles to PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

The company estimates that this move will save 525 tonnes of packaging a year. Plus, because the PET bottles are 88 percent lighter than glass bottles and require less energy to manufacture, Marks & Spencer plans to see reductions in the carbon footprint of production, transport and distribution, as well.

Marks & Spencer worked in partnership with Paul Sapin and Roger Harris Wines for more than two years to develop the new technology behind the bottles, which are guaranteed to keep wine fresh for at least 12 months.  The innovative packaging design includes an oxygen barrier material sandwiched between two layers of PET. These three layers give the wine a significantly longer shelf life than would be possible with traditional PET. (more…)

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