Some Good News!

[JackLuis]

How about a thread for news that isn't depressing and/or partisan?

Coca-Cola and Carlsberg could switch to plant-based bottles that degrade within a year

Drinks companies Coca-Cola and Carlsberg are backing a project which aims to develop plant-based plastic bottles that degrade within a year.

Dutch renewable chemicals company Avantium, packaging developer BillerudKorsnäs, and bottle manufacturer Alpla are working together on The Paper Bottle Project, which is aiming to develop a plastic bottle made from plant sugars rather than fossil fuels.

And now, Coca-Cola and Carlsberg have backed the project as part of an effort to raise investment in the project. According to The Guardian, Carlsberg hopes to use the bottle to sell its pilsner.

Avantium’s chief executive, Tom van Aken, explained that the project remains on course despite global lockdowns, and The Paper Bottle Project plans to reveal more partnerships later in the summer.

"This plastic has very attractive sustainability credentials because it uses no fossil fuels and can be recycled – but would also degrade in nature much faster than normal plastics do," he said.

The companies hope to produce the new plastic by 2023.

In a press release, Carlsberg explained: "We are working on developing the world’s first ‘paper’ beer bottle made from sustainably-sourced wood fibers that is both 100% bio-based and fully recyclable."

"We now have two new research prototypes of the Green Fiber beer Bottle, which are the first ‘paper bottles’ that are able to contain beer."

Might be better and aluminium cans too!