March 17, 2008

Lightweight Wine Bottles Better For The Environment

Bottling wine in lightweight bottles can significantly reduce CO2 emissions, according to a report by the Waste & Resources Action Programme comparing the impact on the environment of four different types of bottles that were filled in the UK with wine shipped from Australia, Off License News reports.

Results showed that a lightweight glass bottle (365g) made with 92 per cent of recycled material created 356 grammes of CO2 whereas a regular weight bottle (496g) made with 81 per cent recycled content created 523 grammes. A lightweight bottle made with 81 per cent recycled content created 453 grammes.

CO2 emissions are reduced when incorporating recycled PET into new bottle manufacturing, primarily because extraction, transport and synthesis of crude oil are avoided. It is more energy and resource efficient to incorporate recycled PET into bottle manufacture than to produce PET bottles using only virgin material.

“The research highlights that there are clear environmental wins to be gained by considering carefully the impact of material choices,” said Richard Swannell WRAP director of retail and organics programs. “Ultimately, the final decisions by producers will also depend upon numerous variables including what the supply chain requires, product storage and shelf life requirements, recyclability and consumer preferences.”

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