Designed the world's lightest and most sustainable beer bottle

The world's largest brewing company AB InBev (producer of BUD, Stella Artois, Beck's, Corona Extra, etc.) has developed the world's lightest beer bottle with an elongated neck. Taking into account the production volumes, only in Europe the use of such technology will make it possible to annually reduce carbon dioxide emissions in a volume comparable to the emissions from 62 thousand cars.

AB InBev has been able to reduce the weight of its standard extended neck beer bottle from 180 grams to 150 grams, thus reducing CO2 emissions by 17% per bottle. With packaging accounting for an average of 50% of its carbon footprint, this innovation is an important step towards the company's global sustainability goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain by 25% by 2025.

“For many years, one of AB InBev's priorities has been to reduce the weight of our bottles. The new eco-friendly glass bottle technology is a breakthrough in reducing the carbon footprint of glass bottles. The success of scientific and technical developments is the result of effective cooperation with our partners in glass production, exchange of experience and joint work on a new coating for glass and increasing its strength, ”said Frederic De Graaf, Global Director of Packaging Technology Development at AB InBev.

While working on the project, the company faced a number of technological challenges related to the durability of the lightweight bottles. “The quality and safety of the packaging are those things that are not subject to discussion, therefore, before a new container goes on the market, it undergoes comprehensive testing, since the decrease in weight could affect the strength of the bottle. As you know, beer is a carbonated beverage, and under certain temperature conditions, the internal pressure in the bottle can increase due to the expansion of the gas. It was also necessary to consider the speed of our filling lines, which put high shock loads on the bottles. In the end, the combination of modern equipment, experienced operators and improved production processes helped us develop this innovative technology, ”said Frederic De Graaf.

AB InBev is currently exploring ways to bring the new bottle to market. First of all, it will appear in those European countries where non-returnable packaging is used. For countries using returnable packaging, a GITEC group of scientists will develop a bottle weight reduction technology that is compatible with reusability.

AB InBev strives to ensure that by 2025, 100% of its own products will be produced in recyclable containers or packaging made from predominantly recycled materials.

Source: recyclemag.ru