Suntory unveils PET bottle prototypes made from 100% plant-based materials
Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.
Suntory Group has successfully created a prototype PET bottle made from 100% plant-based materials. It is a crucial step toward its aim to use 100% sustainable PET bottles globally by 2030 and eliminate all petroleum-based virgin plastic from its global PET supply.
Press release: “Suntory Introduces 100% Plant-Based PET Bottle Prototypes”, 03/12/2021.
Figure 1. Orangina 100% plant-based PET bottle prototype, excluding cap and label
This announcement marks a breakthrough after a nearly decade-long partnership with the US-based sustainable technology company Anellotech. PET is produced using two raw materials, 70% terephthalic acid (PTA) and 30% mono ethylene glycol (MEG). Suntory’s prototype plant-based bottle is made by combining biobased paraxylene derived from wood chips (which has been converted to biobased PTA) and biobased MEG made from molasses which Suntory has been using in its Suntory Tennensui brand in Japan since 2013. Suntory aims to commercialize this 100% plant-based bottle as soon as possible to meet its 2030 fully sustainable PET bottle goal.