#Pepsi To Reduce Plastic Use By Replacing Aquafina Bottles With Cans

Pepsi To Reduce Plastic Use By Replacing Aquafina Bottles With Cans

Pepsi is making a big play to reduce its plastic usage as companies across the globe face growing backlash from consumers for their heavy reliance on single-use plastics. The company has now announced that it’s going to replace plastic bottles for its Aquafina water brand. The water will be offered in aluminum cans instead initially in food service outlets in the country while the company will test this move in retail on a smaller scale.

Here is an excerpt from PepsiCo’s envionmental plan:

AT PEPSICO, WE KNOW WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP TACKLE THIS CRISIS AND WE’RE STRIVING TO DO OUR PART TO HELP BUILD A WORLD WHERE PLASTICS NEED NEVER BECOME WASTE.

WE’RE PURSUING A STRATEGY OF REDUCING, RECYCLING AND REINVENTING OUR PLASTIC PACKAGING – AND WANT TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN CHANGING THE WAY WE AS CONSUMERS USE PLASTICS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS.

Many environmental advocates have long argued for the use of aluminum over plastic since its almost 100 percent recyclable and also has a better environmental footprint overall. Pepsi will only be offering the canned Aquafina water at food vendors who stock its products initially. It will test this move out through retail and might eventually expand it further down the supply chain.

Pepsi says that these changes are going to go in effect next year and it expects that they will eliminate over 8,000 metric tons of virgin plastic and approximately 11,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

The company has a goal to make 100 percent of its packaging recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025. It also commits to using 25 percent of recycled plastic content in all plastic packaging. It’s already onle of the largest users of food-grade recycled PET in the world.

Read full report