First
Coca-Cola started adding recycled content to bottles, and now it's putting in sugar cane and molasses.
The company has announced it's developed a bottle made partially with plant derivatives, and is going to test it in select markets later this year with Dasani and sparking waters. Next year Coca-Cola plans to start bottling Vitamin Water in it as well.
I don't particularly agree with the name they've given the bottle, the PlantBottle, seeing as how the bottles contains only "up to 30 percent plant-based materials," according to the company. But production of the bottle puts out 25 percent fewer carbon emissions than all-plastic bottles, based on a life-cycle analysis conducted by
Imperial College London.
And even though it contains bioplastic, Coca-Cola says it can be recycled through typical recycling systems without contaminating other plastics, a
concern that has been
raised in the past as other companies introduce bio-bottles.
Coca-Cola's bottle is made with byproducts of sugar cane production, sourced from Brazil and India, and the company has "focused on sustainable agriculture in selecting our suppliers," said Lisa Manley, Coca-Cola's director of sustainability communications.
Taking a long-term view, the company plans to eventually make bottles with 100 percent plant materials, and is eyeing wood chips, corn stover and wheat stalks as possible bottle materials.
Coke bottle - CC license by rhinoji
