Beginning from August 1, Sprite will come in clear plastic bottles. According to parent company Coca-Cola Co., this new initiative is part of the collaborative effort to establish a circular economy for plastic packaging.
The Coca-Cola Co. announced on Wednesday that Sprite will no longer produce its popular beverage in its vintage green bottles as this will now be substituted for clear bottles which is the more sustainable option.
This lemon-lime beverage in its irresistible green bottle packaging was introduced into the United States in 1961, and has since then become a popular beverage across grocery stores, and households all over the country.
This new transformation will begin from August 1 as the Coca-Cola company joins the much publicized campaign of circular economy for plastic packaging.
Sprite bottles have always been produced by a recyclable raw material which is polyethylene terephthalate popularly known as PET but due to its distinct green colour, this material cannot be mixed with other clear items to recycle PET bottles.
According to the company, most Sprite bottles are oftentimes transformed into cloths, carpets or other single-use items which cannot be made into new PET bottles. This new initiative raises the probability that most Sprite bottles will be recycled to make new bottles.
Coca-Cola partners such as R3Cycle which is a reprocessing company has lauded Coca-Cola for the brave decision. R3Cycle is committed to facilitating bottle to bottle recycling throughout the country. R3cycle CEO Julian Ochoa thinks this decision will enhance the production of quality recycled material, and promote a circular economy for plastics.
To crown this new move, Sprite bottles will now bear a bold “Recycle Me” inscription which will come with a refurbished logo design, and bottle packaging. It will however retain a characteristic green bottle cap to remind us of the vintage green bottle we will surely miss.
Originally Reported:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sprite-retiring-iconic-green-plastic-bottle-60-years-rcna40396
