The parent company of Lucozade and Ribena, Suntory, has unveiled a prototype PET bottle made from 100 per cent plant-based materials.
The trial bottles have been produced for the company’s Orangina brand in Europe and is a “crucial step” towards the company’s aim to use 100 per cent sustainable PET bottles globally by 2030.
It also aims to eliminate all petroleum-based virgin plastic from its PET supply.
Additionally, the prototype plant-based bottle is estimated to significantly lower carbon emissions compared to the petroleum-derived virgin bottles.
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The announcement comes following a decade-long partnership with US-based sustainable technology company Anellotech.
The prototype was developed by combining Annellotech’s new technology, plant-based paraxylene derived from wood chips, with pre-existing plant-based MEG from the molasses.
“We’re delighted with this achievement, as it brings us one step closer to delivering this sustainable PET bottle to the hands of our consumers,” Suntory executive officer Tsunehiko Yokoi said.
“The significance of this technology is that the PTA is produced from non-food biomass to avoid competition with the food chain, while MEG is also derived from non-food grade feedstock.”
Anellotech president and chief executive David Sudolsky added: “This achievement is the result of more than ten years of thorough and painstaking development work by Anellotech’s dedicated employees, together with Suntory and other partners.”
Suntory aims to commercialise it’s 100 per cent plant-based bottle as soon as possible.
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