(Photo: The Coca-Cola Company produced sample bottles made from recovered and recycled marine plastics. Credit: Ioniqa Technologies)The Coca-Cola Company produced what it says are the first ever sample bottles made using recovered and recycled marine plastic.
An initial 300 sample bottles were manufactured with 25% recycled marine plastic collected from the Mediterranean Sea and beaches, according to the beverage maker. They were the result of a partnership that Coca-Cola has with Ioniqa Technologies, Indorama Ventures, and Mares Circulares (Circular Seas).
Ioniqa Technologies developed the proprietary method for recycling the marine plastic. Last December Coca-Cola invested in the Dutch company to help speed up technologies that convert recycled plastic into food-grade PET for bottles. Their plastic upcycling plant in the Netherlands is now operational.
“Enhanced recycling technologies use innovative processes that break down the components of plastic and strip out impurities in lower-grade recyclables so they can be rebuilt as good as new,” Ioniqa Technologies explained. “This means that lower grade plastics often destined for incineration or landfill can now be given a new life.” Reducing reliance on virgin PET results in a lower carbon footprint, the tech company added.
Bruno van Gompel, technical and supply chain director for Coca-Cola in Western Europe said that these technologies accelerate the prospect of a closed loop economy for plastic.
“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 said.
Although the Coca-Cola Company’s leaders noted that the 300-sample bottle run is a small step, they say the technology behind it has big potential. Starting in 2020, Coke plans to roll out recycled marine plastic content in some bottles. Final recycled content is expected to vary between 20 and 25% post-production.
“PET plastics of every color can now be recycled into high quality plastic needed for food and drink packaging,” according to a Coke video about the samples. “Our new R&D bottle shows what’s possible.”
