The High Cost Of The Coca-Cola Supply Chain

When Coca-Cola set out to include sustainability in its supply chain, it recognized from the outset that the entire end-to-end lifecycle of a beverage bottle had to be considered. Biobased feedstocks go intoare used to make the PlantBottle™ packaging, and on the back end, when the consumer is through with it, the bottle can be recycled and, for example, ground up to create a carpet. This can help to keep keep the CO2 sequestered inside these products, rather than being released into the atmosphere. As such, the plant is used both to create both the product and to create the byproduct, e.g.,; the carpet in this case.

Coca-Cola noted that the PlantBottle™ is made from a combination of traditional materials and plant-based materials and is up to 30% plant material. Because the end product is still PET plastic, the PlantBottle™ package delivers the same performance as PET plastic bottles made from fossil fuels (e.g., shelf life, recyclability, weight, chemical composition,

According to Mr. Knutzen, Coca-Cola views themselves as a catalyst for the industry to increase use of renewable materials, and they are working with their partners to make it happen. Mr. Knutzen went on to say that Coca-Cola is sharing their technology with other companies so they can all benefit from the PET supply chain that Coca-Cola is creating.

Mr. Knutzen remarked that one of the benefits Coca-Cola would like to see is that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) provides significant benefits to biofuel, but the polymer market does not enjoy these same benefits. It is easier to get ethanol into biofuels than to take ethanol and make plastic out of it. Ethanol goes into fuels, but the benefit does not translate into plastic. Fuel companies also tend to have limited partnerships that provide tax benefits that the buyer of renewable plastics do not