PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) has developed what it says is the
world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based, fully
renewable resources.
PepsiCo said its "green" bottle is 100% recyclable
and will allow it to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
In what seems like a clear show of one-upmanship, PepsiCo
stated that the bottle "far surpasses existing industry technologies." Beverage
rival Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) in 2009 unveiled its Plant Bottle, which contains
up to 30% bio-based material.
The PepsiCo bottle is made from bio-based raw materials,
including switch grass, pine bark and corn husks.
Combining biological and chemical processes, PepsiCo said it
has identified methods to create a molecular structure that is identical to
petroleum-based PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which results in a bottle
that looks and feels the same as existing PET beverage containers.
In the future, the company said it expects to broaden the
renewable sources to include orange peels, potato peels, oat hulls and other
agricultural byproducts from its foods business.
"PepsiCo is in a unique position, as one of the world’s
largest food and beverage businesses, to ultimately source agricultural
byproducts from our foods business to manufacture a more
environmentally-preferable bottle for our beverages business–a sustainable
business model that we believe brings to life the essence of Performance with
Purpose," said PepsiCo Chairman and CEO, Indra Nooyi.
PepsiCo will pilot production of the new bottle in 2012.
Upon successful completion of the pilot, the company intends to move
directly to full-scale commercialization.
"By reducing reliance on petroleum-based materials and
using its own agricultural scraps as feedstock for new bottles, this
advancement should deliver a double win for the environment and PepsiCo,"
said Conrad Mackerron, Senior Program Director of As You Sow,
a San Francisco-based foundation, which promotes corporate social
responsibility through shareholder engagement.
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