Coca-Cola unveils new bio-based “PlantBottle”

The Coca-Cola Company has become the latest firm to step up its interest in the field of bioplastics, with the debut last week of plastic bottles made partially from plants.

Dubbed the PlantBottle, the plastic bottle is made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and 30 per cent plant-based materials sourced from sugar cane and molasses.

According to the company, its preliminary research had shown that the growing of the plant materials and resin production techniques mean that the carbon footprint for the PlantBottle packaging is up to 25 per cent lower than for bottles made with traditional PET, as it can be processed through existing recycling facilities without contaminating traditional PET. As a result, it can still be recycled easily without having to be separated from conventional plastics.

The first wave of PlantBottles will be distributed in Western Canada, Denmark, and select markets in the Western U.S., including Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The company added that future launches are already being planned in other markets, including Brazil, Japan and Mexico and for China’s Shanghai Expo in 2010.

Scott Vitters, director of sustainable packaging at The Coca-Cola Company said that the launch of the new bottle was the first phase in a wide-ranging project to reduce the environmental impact of the company’s packaging, adding that the long term aim was “to achieve a bottle that is made with 100 per cent plant-waste material while remaining completely recyclable”.