Argentina Villavicencio unlabeled 100% recyclable PET bottle

        Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Amcor Rigid Packaging (ARP) said it has partnered with consumer goods company Danone to launch a 100% recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle for its Villavicencio water brand in Argentina. The new label-free bottle is made from 100% recycled material and has a 21% reduced carbon footprint compared to the previous bottle.

        "As a long-term partner, we are excited to support Danone's mission to have a positive impact on the environment and our health," said Juan Cazes, general manager of ARP Argentina. “Over the past two years, we have worked closely to produce a bottle that fully represents the Villavicencio brand while maintaining the same visual elements. We use the highest quality materials, helping to ensure the safety of the container and the consumer in the process, while we create a bottle that, with the help of the consumer, once recycled, becomes another bottle.”

        Switzerland-based Amcor, which describes itself as a global leader in the development and production of responsible packaging for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, medical, home and personal care and other products, said it has committed to making all of its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

        “Partnering with Danone, a global food and beverage company committed to inspiring a healthier world through food, is a natural step,” the company said.

        Villavicencio bottles can be recycled multiple times, “helping to support a more circular economy,” ARP said. ARP said most of the brand’s packaging is made from PET, which it said is “easily recyclable in most markets through mechanical or chemical recycling, even if the container uses a label.” ARP said removing the label, as in the new Villavicencio design, provides greater opportunity to increase production of recycled PET resin.

        “As one of our flagship brands in Argentina, Villavicencio lives up to our philosophy of being closely connected to nature,” said Pablo Colombo, Danone’s purchasing director. “If the environment is healthy, so are we. So, in addition to providing our customers with high-quality products, we must do the same for our planet. This alliance with Amcor allows us to take another step in our commitment to sustainability by creating a bottle that has a lower carbon footprint in addition to being 100% recyclable.”