A low plastic water bottle is one that uses less
plastic
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...
than a regular
water bottle
A water bottle is a container that is used to hold liquids, mainly water, for the purpose of transporting a drink with oneself while travelling or while otherwise away from a supply of potable water.
A water bottle is usually made of plastic, g ...
, typically by having the same internal volume but being made from thinner plastic. Some such bottles have less than half the plastic of a regular water bottle.
The low plastic water bottle has seen an increase in production over the last few years. This is mainly because making low
plastic bottle
A plastic bottle is a bottle constructed from high-density or low density plastic. Plastic bottles are typically used to store liquids such as water, soft drinks, motor oil, cooking oil, medicine, shampoo, milk, and ink. The size ranges from v ...
s is more efficient, cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly than producing regular bottles. A large number of water companies now exclusively use a low plastic design for their 16.9 oz bottles.
Recycling
Companies have also taken
recycling
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the p ...
into consideration. Previously when water bottles were bought in packs of 24, there was a plastic wrap around the bottles and there was a cardboard base. This packaging was not
recyclable
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the p ...
, but now some water companies have made the packaging fully recyclable, and also have eliminated the cardboard base. Eliminating the cardboard base saves 20 million pounds of corrugated material annually. The plastic reduction in the bottles themselves saves 75 million pounds of plastic.
Thinner plastic bottles are harder to recycle. The average yield of
PET bottle recycling
Although PET is used in several applications, (principally textile fibres for apparel and upholstery, bottles and other rigid packaging, flexible packaging and electrical and electronic goods), as of 2022 only bottles are collected at a subst ...
in Europe dropped from 73% to 63% between 2011 and 2017, with low-plastic bottles being blamed for a higher moisture content in recycling bales, and for producing thinner plastic flakes which are more likely to be discarded during the recycling process.
Replacements for plastics
At least one other commercial attempt has been made toward the creation of cheap, non-plastic containers for water. In 2009,
Ecologic Brands, Inc. released a water bottle which was created using a combination of recyclable, sustainable sheet stock such as bamboo or palm leaves. The design was entered into
INNOVIC's Next Big Thing Award for 2009.
Next Big Thing Award home page
/ref> The company has since gone on to create a paper jug
A jug is a type of container commonly used to hold liquids. It has an opening, sometimes narrow, from which to pour or drink, and has a handle, and often a pouring lip. Jugs throughout history have been made of metal, and ceramic, or glass, and ...
which can be used as a holder for a recyclable plastic bag for liquids such as milk and detergent.
See also
* Edible water bottle
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Low Plastic Water Bottle
Bottles
Plastic recycling