June 04, 2015
The Coca-Cola Co. unveiled Wednesday the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials at the World Expo in Milan.
The company launched PlantBottle in 2009 with packaging made from up to 30 percent plant-based materials. Since then, more than 35 billion bottles have been distributed in nearly 40 countries.
The latest version is a fully recyclable plastic bottle made from renewable plant materials. The new bottle's plastic is derived from sugar cane, the company said.
PlantBottle packaging is The Coca-Cola Company’s vision to develop a more responsible plant-based alternative to packaging traditionally made from fossil fuels and other non-renewable materials. PlantBottle packaging uses patented technology that converts natural sugars found in plants into the ingredients for making PET plastic bottles.
"Our vision was to maximize game-changing technology, using responsibly sourced plant-based materials to create the globe’s first fully recyclable PET plastic bottle made entirely from renewable materials," Nancy Quan, global research and development officer for Coca-Cola, said in a statement.
Since its launch, the use of PlantBottle packaging has helped save the equivalent annual emissions of more than 315,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to the company.
Coca-Cola aims to soon be able to mass produce the 100 percent plant-based PET plastic bottle.
