PepsiCo develops first 100% plant-based bottle

PepsiCo has developed the world’s first polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based, fully renewable resources. The bottle, which is 100% recyclable, is made from bio-based raw materials, including switch grass, pine bark and corn husks. In the future, the company expects to broaden the renewable sources used to create the bottle to include orange peels, potato peels, oat hulls and other agricultural byproducts from its foods business.
Combining biological and chemical processes, PepsiCo has identified methods to create a molecular structure that is identical to petroleum-based PET, which results in a bottle that looks, feels and protects its product identically to existing PET beverage containers.
PepsiCo will pilot production of the new bottle in 2012. Upon successful completion of the pilot, the company intends to move directly to full-scale commercialization.

Pictured: PepsiCo’s new 100 recyclable bottle is made from bio-based raw materials, including switch grass, pine bark and corn husks.