Spirits maker Bacardi will bottle all labels in a biodegradable material from plant-based oils that will hit the shelves in 2023.
A report from Food Manufacturing.com reveals that the spirits maker will be moving to bottle all its brands in a 100 percent biodegradable plastic packaging made with plant-based oils.
The massive shift will eliminate 80 million plastic bottles equivalent to 3,000 tons of plastic produced by the company each year.
Plant-based Plastics
The company's revolutionary move has become possible due to its partnership with Danimer Scientific, a prime producer and developer of biodegradable products, as reported by Beverage Daily.
Bacardi's petroleum-based plastics will be replaced by Danimer Scientific's Nodax PHA, a biopolymer derived from the natural oils of plant seeds such as palm, canola, and soy.
View this post on InstagramToday we launch the world’s first 100% biodegradable spirits bottle in the fight against plastic pollution. This eco-friendly bottle biodegrades in just 18 months as petroleum-based plastics are replaced by a plant-based ‘wonder material’ that leaves no harmful traces on our planet #Bacardi #ecofriendly #zerowaste A post shared by BACARDÍ (@bacardi) on Oct 21, 2020 at 9:01am PDT
Senior Vice President, Global Operations for Bacardi, Jean-Marc Lambert, reveals that as the company set the goal of being 100 percent plastic-free by 2030, they knew that it would take revolutionary advances in packaging design to achieve it.
They also knew that such a feat would be made possible through their collaboration with Danimer Scientific. Studies reveal that the regular plastic bottle takes more than 400 years to decompose.
On the other hand, the Nodax PHA-made bottles will biodegrade in a wide range of environments, including compost, soil, freshwater, and seawater, within 18 months. This material will disappear without leaving behind harmful microplastics.
Additionally, Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer at Danimer Scientific Scott Tuten explained that the Nodax PHA is one of the most hopeful and eco-friendly materials in the world today. It provides the biodegradability that consumers want without losing the quality of traditional plastic.
He further noted that the Nodax PHA material delivers the best of both worlds for consumers and anticipates working with Bacardi and incorporating PHA into their exemplary packaging.
The first spirit to appear in the new bottle will be the Bacardi Rum before plant-based material is rolled out globally. It will replace all single-use plastics across the entire Bacardi supply chain and its 200 brands and labels. These include Dewar's Scotch whiskey, Martini vermouth, Patron tequila, Bombay Sapphire gin, and Grey Goose vodka.
A Bacardi spokesperson said that although the company produces a relatively small percentage of plastic waste, this portion still translates to an estimated 3,000 tons of plastic waste from plastic bottles alone.
The company further stated that although biopolymer plastics cost more, they strongly believe in doing the right thing for the planet.
Addressing The Issue Of Plastic Linings
This innovative new material's versatility will also help address the beverage industry's longest-standing plastic problems, which are the plastic lining of bottle closures.
Bacardi recognizes that plastic inserts and closure liners are the most plastic component in packings and are responsible for over 600 million tons of plastic waste yearly.
It is reported that Bacardi's Packaging Development team already started the process of research and development for the shift to biodegradable liners.
