With the new returnable PET bottle, the Austrian mineral water bottler will save about 400 tonnes of material and 420 tonnes of CO2 per annum
The new PET bottle is about 90% lighter than the returnable glass alternative. (Credit: ALPLA)
Packaging solutions provider Alpla Group in partnership with Austrian mineral water bottler Vöslauer has developed a new returnable PET bottle that reduces carbon emissions by about 30%.
The bottle, made of fully-recyclable PET mono-material, weighs 55 grams and is about 90% lighter than the returnable glass alternative.
Alpla Group said the one-litre bottles are now available in retail outlets.
The bottles, which bear the Austrian Ecolabel, are anticipated to remain in use for three to four years, going through a minimum of 12 usage cycles.
The introduction of a new one-litre returnable PET bottle follows the launch of a recycled PET bottle by the two companies in 2018.
Alpla Central and Eastern Europe managing director Rainer Widmar said: “People want to consume sustainably. Although returnable PET is the optimum packaging solution, there wasn’t a single product of this kind in the Austrian market until now.
“The returnable PET bottle developed together with Vöslauer illustrates how demand, a sense of responsibility, a hunger for innovation and technological expertise can reduce the carbon footprint.”
The new bottle replaces the earlier one-litre, two-way PET bottle with a deposit, said the packaging firm.
With the new PET bottle, the Austrian mineral water bottler will save about 400 tonnes of material and 420 tonnes of CO2 per annum.
Vöslauer managing directors Birgit Aichinger and Herbert Schlossnikl.said: “The majority of Austrians want to see returnable containers on the supermarket shelves. PET is an environmentally sensible addition to our product range.
“As the market leader in the deposit segment, we are the first company in Austria to create a light and practical alternative.”