Currently available in one-litre bottles, the Kinley new rPET bottle is made from recycled food-grade plastic and is said to be India’s first packaged drinking water brand to use 100% recycled PET bottles
According to a press release, the new rPET packaging is available for the company’s packaged drinking water brand, Kinley, in 1-liter bottles. The new bottle features a unique label displaying, ‘100% made from recycled food grade plastic, marking a major milestone for Coca-Cola in India in realizing its circular economy endeavours.’
The release said rPET bottles are made from food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
When PET bottles are recycled, the plastic is recycled as per the technologies that are approved by US FDA and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food grade recycled material, and reformed into new PET bottles, reducing the need for virgin plastic for producing PET Bottles. Using rPET bottles not only conserves natural resources but also reduces the amount of plastic waste in the larger ecosystem.
The Indian regulator approved the use of recycled PET in food packaging, subject to compliance with its requirements, after a thorough review of food safety.
Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia Technical and Innovation VP Enrique Ackermann said: “We are proud to be the first beverage company in India to offer our consumers a sustainable choice of packaging by launching Kinley bottles made from 100% recycled PET.
“Our new bottles made with food-grade rPET have value beyond their initial use, as they are fully recyclable and can be repurposed into new bottles.”
ALPLA aids in to launch recycled PET bottles
Austrian packaging solution provider ALPLA has supported Coca-Cola India in launching a new bottle made from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) in Andhra Pradesh, India, for the latter’s Kinley brand.
ALPLA’s initiatives are intended to promote Coca-Cola’s global objective of using at least 50% recycled material in all packaging by 2030 by providing the rPET preforms.
Currently, 15% of PET is recycled internationally, and 90% of the packaging company’s packaging is recyclable.
Coca-Cola Franchise Bottling Partner Sri Sarvaraya Sugars managing director S B P P Rammohan said: “This move towards using recycled PET in packaging, aligns with our government’s vision of sustainable plastic use, and we are proud to be associated with the Coca-Cola System in India as the first movers in this sustainability initiative.” In December last year, Coca-Cola Bangladesh introduced Kinley water bottles with 100% rPET in two-litre packs.
