Right materials for Packaging Carbonated Drinks

Abstract

The environmental impact of packaging materials for carbonated drinks has gained considerable attention in the context of sustainability and resource conservation. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of three commonly used packaging materials: glass bottles, aluminium cans, and PET bottles. A life cycle assessment methodology is employed to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of these materials, encompassing raw material extraction, manufacturing processes, and transportation. The ReCiPe 2016 midpoint impact categories are used to quantify various environmental effects. Results indicate that PET bottles exhibit the least overall environmental impact, attributed to lower greenhouse gas emissions, with a total of 81.52g CO2 eq/litre, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication compared to glass bottles and aluminium cans. Glass bottles, while commonly used, exhibit higher impacts, especially in terms GWP with a total of 425.43g CO2 eq/litre and terrestrial ecotoxicity due to their energy-intensive production and transportation. Aluminium cans, although lightweight, present moderate environmental impacts primarily due to the energy-intensive extraction and processing of raw materials and the use of epoxy resin BADGE in the interior coating. Recommendations for further research are identified to enhance the understanding of carbonated drinks packaging materials' environmental impact. These include exploring alternative coatings for aluminium cans, comprehensive end-of-life analysis, dynamic impact assessment considering evolving technologies, consumer behaviour research, life cycle cost analysis, regional comparative studies, multi-criteria decision analysis. This study contributes to informed decision-making in the packaging industry, guiding the selection of environmentally sustainable packaging materials for carbonated drinks.