For several years now, controversy has been growing over whether or not plastic water bottles are harmful. Theories abound: Leaving a bottle in a hot car will leach chemicals into the water; concerns about the effects of BPA; and evidence that plastic bottles caps are killing tens of thousands of birds every year when mistaken for food.
I did a story recently on the new BPA-free Nalgene and CamelBak bottles in combination with portable filters, but what about the times when you can’t bring along a reusable bottle? There are many sporting events and other situations when it makes more sense to buy a recyclable disposable plastic bottle instead.
Disposable plastic bottles have gotten a bad rap in recent years because it takes a lot of energy to fill them and ship them around the world, versus consumers just filling reusable bottles. In addition, these bottles are often made from two different types of plastics, each of which biodegrades differently or handles water differently (floating or sinking). The solutions are confusing. Are we supposed to take the cap off and create a risk for the birds? Should we leave the cap on and create more landfill? Maybe we should squish the air out of plastic bottles before we trash or recycle them?
Fortunately, more companies are hopping on the green bandwagon, and one disposable water bottle manufacturer, Aquafina (owned by Pepsi), is making a difference. Since 2002, as an example, the amount of plastic used to make their bottles has been reduced by 50%! Aquafina also has a network of “filling sites” across the USA, which significantly reduces the distance (and required energy) to deliver the filled product to stores. See their official fact sheet and press release at the end.
Bottle Overview: Aquafina’s new package, the Eco-Fina Bottle, is the lightest half-liter bottle of any nationally-distributed bottled brand in the market today, weighing just 10.9 grams. The Eco-Fina Bottle utilizes 50% less plastic than similar Aquafina packaging produced in 2002, and is estimated to eliminate the use of 75 million pounds of plastic annually. The new Eco-Fina Bottle features a contemporary “rippled web” design that goes beyond aesthetics, ensuring its structural performance and functionality. Eco-Fina Bottle packaging is 100% recyclable.
The Eco-Fina Bottle:
Weighs 10.9 grams, approximately 2 grams lighter than competitive bottled water packages on the market.
- Features a contemporary “rippled web” design which ensures structural performance and functionality.
- Will be sold in 24-packs featuring new, contemporary shrink-wrap packaging graphics, prominently displaying the Eco-Fina Bottle logo and sustainability achievements.
- Offers consumers the same great-tasting, pure water in a much lighter, more eco-friendly 100% recyclable bottle.
Bottle Innovation:
The Eco-Fina Bottle utilizes 50% less plastic than the 2002 era bottle and will eliminate an estimated 75 million pounds of plastic annually.
- Over 80% of Eco-Fina Bottles are manufactured on site at Aquafina purification centers, where filling occurs, significantly reducing emissions associated with transportation.
- PepsiCo and Aquafina are committed to removing corrugated packaging materials from multi-packs. Starting in 2009, traditional cardboard-base pads will be removed from Eco-Fina bottle 24-packs, contributing to the removal of approximately 20 million pounds of corrugate by 2010.
- Best-in-class packaging innovation has allowed Aquafina to reduce its half-liter package weight from 24 grams in 2002 to 10.9 grams in 2009.
- Aquafina bottled water offers pure, great tasting water. Aquafina’s rigorous HydRO-7 purification system, including seven different processes such as ozonation, carbon filtration, and reverse-osmosis, removes nearly all of the trace elements and impurities which may affect water’s taste.
Bottle Design: “Light-weighting” the Aquafina bottle has been an ongoing process for many years. Careful thought went into the design and construction of the 10.9 gram bottlem which went through several prototypes, consumer and quality testing before the company was satisfied with design, structural integrity and functionality.
PEPSICO’S AQUAFINA LAUNCHES THE, ECO-FINA BOTTLE™, THE LIGHTEST WEIGHT BOTTLE IN THE MARKET – April 2009
Half-Liter Package Uses 50 Percent Less Plastic, Saving an Estimated 75 million Pounds of Plastic Annually
PURCHASE, N.Y. – March 25, 2009 – PepsiCo’s Aquafina, the nation’s best-selling brand of bottled water, is launching the Eco-Fina Bottle, the lightest half-liter bottle of any nationally distributed bottled water brand in the market. The Eco-Fina Bottle is the latest evolution of Aquafina’s ongoing efforts, which began in 2002, to develop the lightest and one of the most environmentally-friendly bottles in the market. The Eco-Fina Bottle is available in 24-packs.
At a weight of just 10.9 grams, the Eco-Fina Bottle is made with 50 percent less plastic than the half-liter Aquafina bottles produced in 2002, eliminating an estimated 75 million pounds of plastic annually. In addition to light-weighting the half-liter bottle, Aquafina is driving additional environmental benefits by producing the Eco-Fina Bottle right at Aquafina purification centers, where filling occurs, and by eliminating cardboard-base pads from Eco-Fina Bottle 24-packs, which will contribute to saving 20 million pounds of corrugate by 2010.
“The Eco-Fina Bottle represents more than simply innovative packaging design. It showcases our commitment to develop best-in-class products, packages and manufacturing processes while acting responsibly in everything we do,” said Rick Gomez, chief marketing officer, hydration brands at Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “We’re excited to answer the call of our consumers by offering the same great-tasting, pure water in a much lighter and more eco-friendly 100% recyclable bottle.”
The new Eco-Fina Bottle features an eye-catching “rippled web” design that goes beyond aesthetics, ensuring its structural soundness and functionality. New, contemporary shrink-wrap packaging graphics, featuring the Eco-Fina Bottle logo, will further enhance the brand’s on-shelf presence.
“Consumer research confirms that we achieved our desired objective, which was a ‘sustainable design trifecta’ – a bottle that looks better, functions better and is better for the environment,” said Robert Le Bras-Brown, vice president of packaging innovation and development at PepsiCo. “The new design leverages structural engineering which allows the Eco-Fina Bottle to support 50 times its weight in water while offering consumers a contemporary, attractive package that meets their needs.”
PepsiCo and its Aquafina brand have been leading the way in pioneering sound environmental practices, from the continuous improvement of its rigorous water purification process to its approach in the design and construction of its packaging.
PepsiCo continues to explore newer ways to achieve optimal efficiency in the use of natural resources in the development, manufacturing, packaging and distribution of all of its products. The company has committed to considerably lowering its environmental impact by reducing the use of water and energy by 20 percent and the use of fuel by 25 percent. The company conserved nearly five billion liters of water across its global operations, compared to 2006, through technological improvements in global manufacturing operations and resource conservation programs. Last year, PepsiCo took nearly six million kilograms of packaging per year out of its system globally and reduced greenhouse emissions by 18,000 metric tons annually by introducing a new half-liter bottle for Aquafina flavored waters.
About Aquafina Aquafina (www.aquafina.com) is a product of Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc., in the United States and Canada. In addition to Aquafina and Aquafina FlavorSplash, its US brands include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, IZZE, SoBe, Mug, Tropicana Twister Soda, Tropicana Juice Drinks, Dole and Ocean Spray single-serve juices. PepsiCo also makes and markets North America’s best-selling ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks. For more information, visit www.pepsiproductfacts.com.
About PepsiCo PepsiCo is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with 2008 annual revenues of more than $43 billion. The company employs approximately 198,000 people worldwide, and its products are sold in approximately 200 countries. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. The PepsiCo portfolio includes 18 brands that generate $1 billion or more each in annual retail sales. PepsiCo’s commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on generating healthy financial returns while giving back to communities the company serves. This includes meeting consumer needs for a spectrum of convenient foods and beverages, reducing the company’s impact on the environment through water, energy and packaging initiatives, and supporting its employees through a diverse and inclusive culture that recruits and retains world-class talent. PepsiCo is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
