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PepsiCo Developing Plant Based PET Bottle Expects 2012 Release

PepsiCo recently announced they have devleoped the worlds first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based renewable resources.

Pepsi's bottle is made from bio-based materials including switch grass, pine bark and corn husks.  In the future, the company expects to broaden the renewable resources used to create the green botle to include orange peels, potato peels, oat hulls and other agricutltural byproducts from its food business.

Pepsi says the new bottle is expected to begin appearing on shelves in 2012. 

The development of the 100% renewable PET bottle by Pepsi is the latest in a series of developments in bio-based bottles by major companies in the US market. 

As we reported Coca-Cola has developed a 100% plant-based HDPE plastic bottle PlantBottle for its Odwalla juice line and a 30% plant-based PET bottle used for its Dansani bottled water and other products.

Heinz Ketchup PlantBottle Coming to U.S. Stores in July

Heinz is partnering with Coca-Cola and using their PlantBottle technology in their 20 oz Ketchup bottles coming to US store shelves this July.

The Heinz PlantBottle will contain up to 30% plant-based PET plastic material similar to the configuration used in Coke's Dasani water bottles.

According to company estimates Heinz expects to sell 120 million PlantBottle ketchups in 2011. Heinz has come up with the mantra "Doing Well by Doing Good" to describe their usage of the bio-based bottle.

Coca-Cola's PlantBottle technology uses plant-based sugar cane ethanol from Brazil.  As we reported last week another Coke product Odwalla recently switched their packging to a 100% plant-based HDPE plastic also made from sugarcane.

The new Heinz PlantBottle will be highlighted at the BioPlastek 2011 conference from June 27-29 in NY.  The conference will feature in-depth discussion of the Coke/Heinz partnership. 

In related news Coca-Cola will use the BioPlastek forum to formally announce the national distribution of its Dasani water in PlantBottle packaging.

Coca-Cola Chairman & CEO Muhtar Kent and Heinz Chairman & CEO William R. Johnson with their new PlantBottle packaging

Coca Cola's Odwalla Moves to PlantBottle

Coca-Cola's Odwalla brand has moved its single serve bottles to the PlantBottle.   The bottle, developed by Coca-Cola is made from 100% renewable resources (sugarcane) to produce the HDPE bottle.

"The PlantBottle packaging represents a significant step in Odwalla's ongoing sustainability efforts to protect our planet," said Alison Lewis, President, Odwalla.

"Since the brand's inception in 1980, it has maintained a very simple vision: make great juice, do good things for the community, and build a business with a heart. Such a simple vision has proven to have a large impact, especially when supported by a guiding principle of respect - respect for our consumers who rely on us for nourishing beverages, and respect for our earth on which we rely for holistic nourishment."

Interestingly the new Odwalla single serve bottle size has shrunk from 15.2 fl oz to 12 in the new PlantBottle.

If You Care FSC Certified Household Latex Gloves

Looking for an ecologically sound household latex glove check out the FSC certified latex gloves from If You Care.  These gloves are made in a responsible fashion using rubber from FSC certified plantations. The company also pays the rubber tappers a fair trade premium.

We've been using the gloves for various household duties for about a month now and are very impressed.  The original pair has held up well after near daily use for dish washing.  The fit is comfortable and the gloves are long enough to cover up the tip of a shirt sleeve. 

So skip the conventional disposable gloves and choose a more sustainable product the next time you're in need of a pair.