The Coca-Cola Company has unveiled the first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials at the ongoing World Expo - Milan.

PlantBottle packaging pushes the boundaries on sustainable innovation by using groundbreaking technology to create a fully recyclable plastic bottle made from renewable plant materials, said a statement.

The packaging is The Coca-Cola Company’s vision to develop a more responsible plant-based alternative to packaging traditionally made from fossil fuels and other non-renewable materials, it said.

It uses patented technology that converts natural sugars found in plants into the ingredients for making PET plastic bottles.

The packaging looks, functions and recycles like traditional PET but has a lighter footprint on the planet and its scarce resources.

Nancy Quan, global research and development officer, The Coca-Cola Company, said: “Today is a pioneering milestone within our company’s packaging portfolio. Our vision was to maximise game-changing technology, using responsibly sourced plant-based materials to create the globe’s first fully recyclable PET plastic bottle made entirely from renewable materials.”

The PlantBottle packaging maintains the high quality package consumers expect but with the added benefit of being made from renewable materials.

It can be used for a variety of packaging sizes and across water, sparkling, juice and tea beverage brands.

The company uses sugarcane and waste from the sugarcane manufacturing process to create PlantBottle packaging. Both materials meet its established sustainability criteria used to identify plant-based ingredients for PlantBottle material.

These guiding principles include demonstrating improved environmental and social performance as well as avoiding negative impacts on food security. - TradeArabia News Service