During one of her visits, Moon said, “Live in the possibilities, not in the circumstances.” That has stayed with me and I’m using it, thanks to Moon, via Martha, as a way to introduce this column.
That is exactly what Coca-Cola and Suntory Holdings have done with their 100% plant-based bottle. They didn’t dwell on the past; they didn’t dwell on failure; they didn’t dwell on “circumstances.” They lived in the possibilities of believing they could create a 100% plant-based bottle.
This is incredibly exciting. I view it as a game-changer and want to share their story. (Just remember, UPM, back in 2017, validated the use of wood-based biochemicals. Today, UPM is building the world’s first bio-refinery to produce biochemicals that will use hardwoods from regional forests along with residues from sawmills.)
The Coca-Cola story, more than ever, supports what we know is happening in the bio-based polyolefin markets. The undisputed market leader, Braskem is not only making bio-based polyethylene and polypropylene from renewable resources such as sugar cane, non-edible plants, and biogenic fats and oils. It is also producing bio-HDPE, bio-LDPE, bio-EVA, bio-LLDPE, etc. Biochemistry from renewables is in full swing. Stephen Moore of Singapore’s MLT Analytics notes:
“Bio-polyethylene market leader Braskem exported almost 150,000 tons of bio-PE in 2021, headed by bio-HDPE and bio-LDPE grades, according to our analysis. Further, with mass balance-based production picking up in Europe and Japan, the global bio-PE market will soon surpass 200,000 tons annually. Bio-based polyolefins are emerging as key enablers for plastic suppliers and brand owners alike to reach their sustainability goals. Regulatory pressure is also evident. Case in point, Japan’s “Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving Carbon Neutrality in 2050” targets two million tons of biomass plastics in 2030.”
Whether it is Japan, regulatory pressure, or meeting sustainability goals, Coke’s development is apropos of the focus on developing bio-chemistry, a la UPM.Coke started working on a plant-based bottle in the early 2000s. The company’s first effort occurred in 2009 when it introduced a 30% bio-based plant bottle using Braskem’s sugar cane ethanol. The other 70%, however, was still petroleum-based. While Coca-Cola admitted its container wasn’t 100% bio-based, the company said that its vision was to continue to innovate until it had achieved a 100% bio-based bottle. PepsiCo was also chasing the golden fleece, along with Suntory Holdings Limited, who owns the brands Orangina, Schwepps, Ribena, and Lucozade.
All of these companies, along with Coke, have spent millions since the early development days trying to achieve the Holy Grail – a 100% plant-based bottle. Many partnerships were created. Chemistries, including PLA (polylactal acid) and PHA (polyhydroxy acid), were evaluated. Issues of recyclability and sources of feedstock for bio-based materials were considered. PLA, for example, is corn-based, and using this chemistry would take raw material from a major food source. Further, PLA is not compatible with traditional petro-based PET, which means a separate recycling stream. That’s just adding complexity and inefficiency, and it wasn’t suitable to Coca-Cola, much less the others.
The R&D pioneers at Coke and the others were involved in developing basic bio-chemistry alternatives to traditional PET.
Traditional petroleum-based PET consists of two molecules: mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) and terephthalic acid (PTA), which respectively make up 30% and 70% of the polymer by weight. PT is produced by the oxidization of an aromatic chemical called paraxylene. For both Coca-Cola and Suntory, the route to finding a bio-based replacement for MEG was a short one. The road to developing a cost-competitive, commercially viable, plant-based replacement for PTA, which required the development of bio-based paraxylene (bPX), was much longer.
But, then came the epiphany, moving from sugar cane and corn to wood-based biochemicals. Dana Breed, global R&D director, packaging and sustainability for Coke, explains it best:
“The inherent challenge with going through bioethanol is that you are competing with fuel. We needed a next-generation MEG solution that addressed this challenge, but also one that could use second-generation feedstock like forestry waste or agricultural byproducts. Our goal for plant-based PET is to use surplus agricultural products to minimize the carbon footprint.”
Shades of change, of the UPM development of cellulosic films in its Finland project.
In 2014, Coca-Cola expanded its partnerships with Virent in order to “scale up the separation and purification steps of Bioform PX, the bio-chemistry that would replace petroleum-based PTA. bPX became the cornerstone of creating the Coca-Cola 100% bio-based bottle. This was an incredible step forward with success achieved.
Many of you may have read about other developments at Coca-Cola. Two of its biggest brands – Dasani and Sprite – have made changes that also contribute to a lower carbon footprint and easier recyclability. Dasani will package its water in a 100% recycled PET bottle, while Sprite is switching to clear plastic from green to increase the likelihood of being remade into new beverage bottles. In my view, these shifts are an effort by Coke to “walk the talk.”
Of course, every effort to change and improve has its naysayers. Instead of supporting circularity, Greenpeace calls these changes “greenwashing.” Kate Melges, Plastics Project lead for Greenpeace, says, “Just because a plastic bottle is recyclable does not mean it gets recycled.” And she goes on, blaming Coke for “blatant greenwashing.”
Come on Kate, look at what Coca-Cola is trying to do. While I would agree that Coke makes and uses a lot of plastic bottles, I would argue Kate’s position on greenwashing. How can you argue the time, energy and money they have spent to improve their carbon footprint and develop technology that will make industry, in general, a better corporate citizen?
Coke is still in the process of commercializing its 100% plant-based product development. However, prototypes of the product have been successfully manufactured in the Virent plant in Madison, WI, USA. Now, after 13 years of work, Coke and Suntory are ready to release their latest generation of 100% plant-based bottles. Not only is the chemistry developed from non-food source renewables, it is fully recyclable with traditional petro-based PET.
I wanted to tell the Coke story because it proves that with commitment and ingenuity, industry can create sustainable products. Potentially our traditional PET chemistry can be replaced with bPET, not just rPET. This will take imagination and money, but the Coke and UPM chemistry can bring change to our technology, as well.
Moon is right, “Live in the possibilities.”
Another Letter from the Earth.
Calvin Frost is chairman of Channeled Resources Group, headquartered in Chicago, the parent company of Maratech International and GMC Coating. His email address is cfrost@channeledresources.com.