Coca-Cola unveils bottles made from recovered marine plastic
The Coca-Cola Company has partnered with Ioniqa Technologies, Indorama Ventures and Mares Circulares (Circular Seas) to produce its first sample bottles made from recovered and recycled marine plastics.
The global drinks giant claims that the 300 samples bottles, made from 25% recycled marine plastic retrieved from the Mediterranean and its beaches, are the first to be successfully recycled for food and beverage packaging.
The bottles were made using enhanced recycling techniques and processes that break down the components of plastics and remove impurities in lower grade plastics, in order to remake them.
In practice, this means that low grade plastics, which otherwise would end up in landfills or be destined for incineration, could potentially be given a new lease of life. It also substantially increases the volume of materials available to make recycled content, thus reducing the amount of virgin PET needed from fossil fuels.
Bruno van Gompel, technical and supply chain director, Coca-Cola in Western Europe said: “Enhanced recycling technologies are enormously exciting, not just for us but for industry and society at large.”
“They accelerate the prospect of a closed-loop economy for plastic, which is why we are investing behind them. As these begin to scale, we will see all kinds of used plastics returned, as good as new, not just once but again and again, diverting waste streams from incineration and landfill.”
He continued: “This bottle is testament to what can be achieved through partnership and investment in revolutionary new technologies. In bringing together partners from across our supply chain, from a community clean-up initiative in Spain and Portugal to an investment in technological innovation in the Netherlands, we have been able, for the first time, to bring damaged marine plastic back to food-grade material with which we can make new bottles.”
Tonnis Hooghoudt, CEO of Ioniqa Technologies, said: “The impact of enhanced recycling will be felt on a global scale: by working with Coca-Cola and Indorama to produce this bottle, we aim to show what this technology can deliver.
“Our new plant is now operational and we are bringing this technology to scale. In doing so, we aim to eliminate the concept of single-use plastic and plastic waste altogether.”
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