Designed and manufactured in Britain, Greenbottle is a biodegradable milk bottle that uses a smart two-part system to aid recycling. The bottles are composed of a cardboard outer manufactured from pulped, recycled cardboard, which is lined with an inner sleeve of biodegradable plastic made from corn starch. The plastic keeps the cardboard from becoming soggy, and the cardboard makes for easy transport, storage and pouring. Once the bottle is empty, the inner sleeve can be pulled out and will decompose in a landfill within six weeks. The cardboard outer can be put out for recycling with other paper or thrown in with kitchen and garden waste for home composting.
Greenbottle just went through a week-long test run at an Asda supermarket, where the new milk jugs sold out quickly. The bottles currently cost up to 30% more than their plastic counterparts, but costs will go down once production steps up.
Three million tons of plastic are thrown away in the UK annually. As manufacturers, retailers and consumers increasingly work to reduce their environmental footprint, now's the time to snap up distribution rights for Greenbottle's innovative (patent-pending) product. One to contact if you work in food and beverage or packaging!
Website: www.greenbottle.com
Contact: info@greenbottle.com
Spotted by: Emma Howarth
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Isn't the original Tettrapak the answer? This seems a worthy but complicated solution. I am guessing that a Tettrapak uses less energy to make and can use recycled card.
Chris Arnold
FEEL, The Ethical Marketing Agency
www.feelagency.com
It is interesting how the price was 30% higher and yet they sold out well. It seems that the UK is getting more green conscious. I wonder how much POS promotion the ASDA Stores had.
Mark James Bowness
I would definitely pay more for a biodegradable package. But I am curious to know how the inner liner will decompose in a landfill within six weeks and yet not fall apart on my laundry shelf! Don't get me wrong, I believe it, but I am intrigued!!!!
I wonder were there too much critisism in my earlier message or why it didn't went through.. However, I totally agree with Chris. Too complicated and expensive idea for problem which is already solved. Apparently it is a new idea in UK.
I'm not an expert on the subject, but let me chime in nonetheless:
Jens: I can't tell from your link what the 'Nordic' package is made from. Is it laminated cardboard? And no, your earlier message wasn't censored! I think the long link triggered our spam filter.
Chris: Tetrapaks are generally made from laminated cardboard: cardboard with a plastic layer. That doesn't degrade well.
Mark: actually, the packaging price was 30% higher. The retail price for consumers was the same as regular packaging. The fact that it sold out likely means people (a) appreciate the green aspect and (b) are intrigued by new types of packaging.
About time we started making further steps in the environmental stakes! It's things like this that don't require people to make changes to their daily routine that will be adopted first and in the biggest quantities. Now to pricing...
Glass bottles anyone? re-use, re-fill AND no LAND FILL
There is yet another ecology-friendly invention for bottles or similar packaging. It is an integrated dosing system made of the same material as the bottle. The ideas won a Best Business Idea competition in Denmark.
http://www.business-idea.com/ShowPosting.asp?id=2284
I'm sorry to dissolution everyone here but this carton was actually withdrawn because it leaked. Plus Tetra Pack has a lot of problems with its own recycling. Because of how its liquid filled cartons are made (foil on the inside) they cannot be recycled here and so use up valuable miles being shipped to China to be dumped in land fill over there.
If you look on Leeds City Council website they actually say that you cannot recycle Tetra Paks at all, and ask for them not to be put in the bins! Sadly, Tetra has a very good marketing campaign and has managed to persuade us that what they make is great. It’s not.
Sas — Thanks for your comment. However, Greenbottle isn't made by TetraPak. Perhaps you're thinking of a different type of packaging?
I think Sas was replying to earlier comments about TetraPak being a good existing alternative to this product. But as TetraPak is difficult to recycle that doesn't appear to be the case. My local authority in London still will not accept them, and where they are accepted TetraPak say they ship them to Europe for processing.
Abolutely revolutionary, great idea and to see this through to manufacture must have taken guts.
Is the leak problem going to be sorted out? The product seems to be very good idea - I didn’t see them - don’t shop at Asda.
Will the Waitrose idea of a bag catch on - I doubt it. Over the years I have had half a dozen 4 pint plastic bottles burst in the car a very difficult thing to clean up is milk so the idea of milk in a plastic bag is horrendous!
I am looking for cheap biodegradable plastic containers 2 and 4 litres for storing cider - fizzy and flat. Any ideas? I am waiting for Greenbottle to get back to me. Oh and Robert never had any plastic milk bottles break in the car - are you packing correctly?
I'm sorry to dissolution everyone here but this carton was actually withdrawn because it leaked.
Sas | June 18, 2007 5:32 PM
Sorry to correct you SAS but in actual fact the trial that ran last year of 250 bottles was a complete success and Greenbottle will be launched later this year.
I am looking for a 2-4 liter Biodegradable. Someone get back to me if u ear any info. Thanka
this is the best thing since milk :]
Why not sell milk in milk jar like been done in Nordic countries decades?? One unnessessary part less..
http://www.kajstenvall.com/press/valio2005.html
Jens | May 30, 2007 4:22 PM