TOKYO, — Coca-Cola Japan has started using new labels made from 10% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This is the first attempt in the Japanese soft drink industry to use recycled PET plastics in labels.

Starting with the label on a 280 ml bottle for its new Hajime brand green tea product, the shift to new labels for Hajime products is scheduled to be completed in or after September this year. When this is accomplished, the company will consider expanding the use of the partly recycled content labels to other 280 ml bottle labels.

While conventional PET labels are produced from nearly 100% crude oil, the new labels are made from 90% conventional material and 10% recycled PET resin made of used PET bottles that have been washed and pulverized.

The company has decided to introduce these labels as part of an energy conservation/recycling program, which constitutes a key effort under its in-house environmental management system, called the "eKO system."