Poland Spring庐 Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, announces that it has started transitioning its packaging to recycled plastic (rPET), and plans to be the first major bottled water brand to reach 100% recycled plastic across its still water portfolio by 20221 . This month, the brand鈥檚 1-liter bottles will begin being made using 100% rPET. In April, the brand launched a premium offering, Poland Spring庐 ORIGIN in 900mL bottles, which are also made entirely of recycled plastic.
鈥淎s a company, we鈥檝e already put our stake in the ground when it comes to taking the 鈥榮ingle鈥� out of 鈥榮ingle-use鈥� plastic bottles,鈥� says Fernando Merc茅, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nestl茅 Waters North America. 鈥淎s we begin to transform Poland Spring, our most iconic brand, to 100% recycled plastic packaging, we will begin to bring this commitment to life for our consumers in a tangible way. Bottles like these, which are made from 100% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable, are proof that a fully circular economy is within our reach.鈥�
This initiative comes just months after Poland Spring鈥檚 parent company, Nestl茅 Waters North America, announced that it will achieve 25% recycled plastic across its U.S. domestic portfolio by 2021. The company plans to continue expanding its use of recycled materials in the coming years, further setting an ambition to reach 50% recycled plastic by 2025.
Poland Spring鈥檚 current packaging, which is predominantly made using PET plastic, is already 100% recyclable, and the company views its push toward using more recycled materials to be the next phase in making its packaging more sustainable and addressing the issue of plastic waste. Using recycled plastic helps keep plastic out of landfills and oceans, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to using virgin plastic.2
However, as recycling rates in the United States still hover around 30%, Poland Spring recognizes that in order to fulfill its commitment to use recycled plastic in its packaging, it must also invest in initiatives that help plastic bottles get back in the recycling bin in the first place. That鈥檚 why Poland Spring, along with its parent company, is collaborating with organizations like Closed Loop Fund to help increase recycling infrastructure. The brand is also expanding How2Recycle labels across all of its packaging, to remind consumers to empty the bottle, replace the cap and recycle when they鈥檙e done.
鈥淭o achieve a circular economy, we, as brand owners, need to inspire people to think and act differently when it comes to plastic,鈥� said David Tulauskas, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Nestl茅 Waters North America. 鈥淚 cannot think of a more meaningful way to connect with our consumers than to bring to market a more sustainable bottle that they themselves helped to create simply by recycling.鈥�