First 100% Certified Ocean-Bound Plastic Beverage Bottle Launched

“When people think of plastic, inevitably they think of the plastic pollution issue in the ocean,” Crowley continues. “So we set out to create a more-sustainable option that effectively helps to clean plastic from coastal environments, preventing it from reaching and polluting the ocean where the likelihood of its retrieval is low. There is plenty of plastic already in existence that can be recycled, and ZenWTR believes we should work to reuse what’s already available as opposed to making new plastic.”

On the front and back of the bottle label is copy that advises consumers that the package is made from '100% Recycled, Verified Post Consumer Ocean Bound Plastic' and is '100% Recyclable.'The ZenWTR bottle was in development for more than three years, due to the complexity of its operations. As Crowley explains, sourcing from global communities means it takes longer for the recycled plastic to reach the U.S. for production, recycled plastic is more expensive pound for pound than virgin plastic, and processing recycled plastic versus virgin plastic requires additional steps and takes more time.

“This means that timelines for production are longer, making the process more complex and costly than it would be if plastic was sourced locally or if we used virgin plastic,” he says. “However, producing with recycled plastic versus virgin plastic uses about 84% less energy and cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 71%, and we’re helping to contribute to the cleanup of coastal environments and prevent a lot of plastic from polluting oceans, so for us, it’s worth it.”

The plastic resin is sourced from CarbonLITE, a California company that specializes in processing used bottles into bottle-grade PET pellets that can be used to manufacture new beverage bottles and other products. Regarding the network of accredited supply partners employed to collect the ocean-bound material, as well as the manufacturer of the bottle, Crowley says the information is proprietary. Also confidential is the technology used to remove the haziness that results from the use of 100% recycled PET.

While PET is widely recycled, the labels, ink, and adhesives used for beverage bottle decoration often result in lower-grade recyclate that can’t be used for food applications. With this in mind, ZenWTR created a proprietary label material that it says is more easily and widely recyclable than current industry offerings. Says Crowley, “ZenWTR’s 100% recyclable labels are APR-approved for their PET-only material and washable ink system, making the recycling process significantly easier than standard PETG labels.” The bottle is topped with a recyclable cap, as well.

See: P&G dish soap bottle comprises 10% ocean plastic, 90% PCR plastic

See: Coca-Cola Unveils 25% Recycled Marine PET Bottle

On the front and back of the bottle label is copy that advises consumers that the package is made from “100% Recycled, Verified Post Consumer Ocean Bound Plastic” and is “100% Recyclable.” It also notes that up to five plastic bottles are rescued from coastal environments to create each bottle.

Says Crowley, the product has been fast-tracked by key retailers, including Whole Foods Market, that are eager to offer more-functional and sustainable bottled water. It is available in 16.9-oz, 23.7-oz, and 1-L sizes, with 1% of ZenWTR sales going to charities dedicated to ocean conservation and coastal cleanup. Based on current projections, the company says it’s on track to rescue 70 million bottles from the ocean by the end of the year. PW