Coca-Cola has said goodbye to plastic bottles.
The soft-drink maker has become one of many companies supporting the ‘Paper Bottle Project’, alongside the likes of Carlsberg and L’Oreal. The initiative aims to reduce plastic bottles entirely, in favour of plant-based biodegradable ones.
And the deadline to get rid of those plastic bottles is sooner than you think; Coca-Cola wants to go plastic-free by 2023 (within the next 24 months).
The initiative aims to develop eco-friendly plastics called PEF – which is made using plant sugars. Those will be used to line compostable cardboard bottles (similar to the plastic inside your take-away coffee cup – but one that biodegrades) and replace the need for regular plastics.
Hundreds of tonnes of plastic products are created each year, using fossil fuels. Not only does the production of plastic contribute to the global climate crisis, but most plastic doesn’t degrade (or at least, not after tens of thousands of years).
Studies have shown that PEF made from plant plastic decomposes almost entirely after just one year in a composter. It would take a few years longer if it was chucked away normally (but, importantly, it will biodegrade).
The project remains on track despite the global pandemic. The initiative is set to reveal more big-name partnerships like Coca-Cola later on in the year.
The new technology is being produced by three Dutch companies, including Avantium.
“This plastic has very attractive sustainability credentials because it uses no fossil fuels, and can be recycled but would also degrade in nature much faster than normal plastics do,” says Tom Van Aken, CEO of Avantium.
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Esquire Facebook page and ‘Follow’ on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.
