After decades of pressure on soft drink manufacturers to develop a soda bottle made from recycled materials, PepsiCo Beverages Canada has done it.
The EcoGreen bottle, made from 100% recycled PET plastic, will first appear in 7UP bottles in Canada before rolling the packaging out for other beverages in other markets.
The announcement is the latest step taken by parent company PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) to establish itself as a leader in sustainability through the environmental performance of its packaging.
Creating a 100% recycled plastic soft drink bottle is more challenging than that for non-carbonated beverages because of the stress on materials from carbonation pressure.
This small step will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 30% and energy consumption by over 55% based on current 7UP production levels, while eliminating 6 million pounds of virgin plastic, according to an Association for Post-Consumer Plastic Recyclers study in 2010.
The EcoGreen bottle, which debuts in early August, will look and feel the same as standard bottles, says the company. It will be used for all 7UP and Diet 7UP package sizes.
The bottle will be produced in multiple PepsiCo manufacturing facilities across Canada. The company invested $1 million in production enhancements, including resin handling systems and inspection systems. Although there’s an incremental cost to produce the 7UP EcoGreen bottle, retail prices will remain competitive with other brands.
Before this, PepsiCo used an average of 10% recycled PET in its primary soft drink bottles in Canada and the U.S., claiming to lead the industry.
Earlier this year, PepsiCo announced the development of the first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based, fully renewable resources, and began offering five types of green, recyclable and compostable cups to foodservice customers in the US.
In 2011, PepsiCo Beverages Canada was named one of Canada’s top 50 socially responsible companies by Maclean’s magazine.
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