Evansville/Atlanta – Berry Global Group, a manufacturer of plastic packaging, has developed a screw cap for Coca-Cola that stays connected to the bottle even after opening. This helps to recycle not only the bottle, but also the lid. A new EU directive demands that.
Berry Global Group, based in the US state of Indiana, is the first plastic packaging manufacturer to supply Coca-Cola with a new type of screw cap for its carbonated beverages in PET bottles. It is designed to remain connected to a ring around the neck of the bottle even after it is opened. According to a media release from Berry, this is to prevent it from being thrown away. Thus, it can be recycled along with the bottle.
Berry’s closure for Coca-Cola is based on a patented CompactFlip solution with tether that complies with EU Directive 2019/204. From July 2024, it will require plastic bottles up to three liters in size to be fitted with caps that remain attached to the container throughout its service life.
Over 400 million of these closures have been used to date in Coca-Cola bottling plants in Germany, Spain and the UK. Now they are to be applied in the company’s other European plants as well. Coca-Cola says it has set itself the goal of making 100 percent of its packaging recyclable worldwide by 2025.
“Innovation in packaging design is key to helping our customers achieve their ambitious sustainability goals,” Thierry Bernet, Berry’s vice president of Circular Economy & Innovation, is quoted as saying. “At the same time, they offer attractive and functional solutions that at least meet the ever-evolving market needs.” Since PET bottles are the most commonly recycled plastic packaging, this collaboration with Coca-Cola “holds enormous potential to conserve resources and protect our environment,” he said. em
