As more people become aware of the great environmental impact single-use plastics are having on the environment, we’re beginning to see just how these everyday objects are beginning to pile up in ecosystems all over the world. However, soon, we may find ourselves enjoying or favorite soft drinks and beers from “all-plant” bottles, should plans from some major beverage companies take root. Under a new initiative being led by Danish beer maker Carlsberg and multinational food and beverage giants Danone and Coca-Cola, there is a new plant-based plastic made from sugars extracted from various sustainably-grown plants that may one-day plastics that are fossil fuel-based, according to The Guardian.
Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium, the company is seeking to open a new bioplastic plant in the Netherlands by the end of 2020. At this time, they’ve made significant progress toward the goal with an early endorsement from the European brewing giant Carlsberg Group, which is looking to start selling its pilsner in cardboard bottles, which will be linked with the new plant-based plastic on the inside. The bio-refinery will break down the plant sugars sourced from vegetables like beets, corn and eat into basic chemical structures, which they would then rearrange to make the new plastic.
The end of plastic? New plant-based bottles will degrade in a year
Beer-maker Carlsberg hopes to sell its pilsner in a cardboard bottle lined with an inner layer of plant plastic. https://t.co/q5hKSEvHg5— Chris Ogilvie (@Ogilvie_CJ) May 23, 2020
The company is hoping to eventually move its sourcing away from raw food materials and shift to utilizing plant sugars taken from sustainably sourced bio-waste, which will ensure that the world’s food supply chains won’t be adversely affected by the shift to the new plant-based plastic.
Coca Cola, Carlsberg and Absolut will switch to Plant-Based Bottles that break down within a year. #recycling #saveourplanet #saveourenvironment #plastic #sustainability #cocacola #carlsberg #absolut #environment https://t.co/Wt0qjtInNX
— Corinne (@NextFreshIdea) October 13, 2020
Avantium says its plant plastic has the strength to bottle carbonate drinks easily, and the plastic decomposing in only a year while using a composter and just a few years longer when left outdoors, according to scientific trials. However, Van Aken doe say that the plastic should be recycled. He added:
“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.”
#CocaCola and #Carlsberg join forces with @Avantium to introduce plant-based bottles that degrade in a year 😀
The plant-based plastic will be made using sugar from corn, wheat, and beets.#pef #paperbottle #plantbasedhttps://t.co/DbGrNFHHbV
— Florence | BLM 🖤 | #WearAMask (@florential) May 20, 2020
For more on this incredible story, you can watch the video below.