Residue waste cap gives Boxed Water cartons 92 percent plant-based kick

19 Mar 2020 --- Water brand Boxed Water has launched a product packaging that is 92 percent plant-based – the highest level achieved in the industry to date, according to the company. The brand achieved this by adding a plant-based cap to every carton to achieve additional environmental sustainability. The cap is derived from residue waste from FSC-certified sustainably grown trees used for pulp and bioenergy, rather than specifically grown for plastic, and has lower CO2 emissions than petroleum and sugarcane.

“Recycling efforts can no longer keep up with the world's plastic production, and the shift toward plant-based products is critical for our planet's wellbeing. Our product is almost entirely plant-based, and we are proud to have the highest sustainable content in the water category, at about 92 percent,” says Daryn Kuipers, CEO of Boxed Water. 

Every Boxed Water carton offers a similar plant-based design, created out of paper sourced from trees in well managed forests. “We needed to create a better plant-based cap than what was currently being offered,” notes Kuipers. “By avoiding sugarcane, we are using substantially fewer natural resources and generating a lower environmental footprint.” 

The brand remains committed to its promise to always deliver 100 percent recyclable and BPA-free packaging. Previously, Boxed Water offered more responsible packaging, compared to its plastic and aluminum counterparts, the company says. 

Boxed Water's residue waste carton cap boasts lower CO2 emissions than petroleum and sugarcane alternatives.Compared to aluminum (which is mined from Bauxite), Boxed Water has a 50 percent lower impact on ozone depletion and smog emissions from smelting, as well as a 33 percent lower impact on acidification due to deforestation. 

Compared to plastic, Boxed Water has a 64 percent lower carbon footprint, 43 percent less fossil fuel use, and 1,084 percent lower impact on the ozone. Also, only 25 percent of plastic is recycled, the company notes.

Currently available in multiple sizes, Boxed Water can be purchased in a 250 mL, 330 mL, 500 mL and 1 L box, and is packed in six-pack, 12-pack and 24-pack configurations.

Eco-friendly water packaging
Amid a pervasive, global anti-plastics sentiment, industry has been making efforts to substitute or improve existing water packaging. In this space, Alpla Group recently developed a 1 L reusable and refillable PET bottle in partnership with bottling and packaging systems company KHS. In a bid to reduce the bottle’s weight – one of the many contributing factors to the plastic pollution crisis – Alpla optimized the bottle’s neck and base designs to bring the total weight down by 10 g.

Moreover, liquid packaging supplier Sidel unveiled the “world’s lightest” 500 ml PET bottle for non-pressurized still water. The ultra-lightness of the X-LITE Still bottle enables customers to optimize packaging and production efficiencies while reducing the consumption of PET resin and overall energy output.

Last July, Natural mineral water brand Valvert in Belgium launched its new bottle made entirely from recycled PET (rPET), a first for Nestlé in Europe. This innovation is a step further towards meeting Nestlé's commitment to increase the rPET content in its water bottles to 35 percent globally by 2025.

Last year, evian released its (re)new solution – an in-home water appliance that reportedly offers a significant reduction in plastic packaging through a combination of re-use and recycling. Consumers attach a thin 5 L “bubble” of water to the appliance, which gradually contracts as the water is consumed. The “bubble” is completely comprised of rPET and is 100 percent recyclable. It uses 66 percent less plastic than a 1.5 L evian bottle and can be recycled into new evian bottles or “bubbles,” the company reports.

LARQ, a US health and wellness brand, introduced a water bottle that harnesses “self-cleaning” technology to provide people with access to clean drinking water: sans plastic bottles. The technology also hopes to elevate the LARQ bottle over reusable bottles that consumers may find collect bad odors over time.

Edited by Kristiana Lalou