Oct 4, 2023
A Resposible Use of Plastic
In our fast-paced world, consumers consistently prioritize convenience. They seek products that seamlessly fit into their busy lives, sometimes overshadowing environmental concerns. However, it's vital to recognize that both convenience and environmental responsibility can coexist, and the click cap embodies this balance.
Convenience and Environmental Responsibility
Nowhere is this mindset more prevalent than in beverage packaging. Consumers consistently choose PET bottles for their resealability, which aids in spill prevention, beverage protection, longevity, and overall convenience. Yet, PET is often viewed as disposable, and recycling rates in the USA are less than 30%, resulting in 20g-30g of plastic being sent to landfills over 70% of the time a PET bottle is used.* Here, the click cap comes into play. Aluminum cans are widely recognized for their recyclability and maintain the highest recycling rate in the USA, exceeding 45%.* When the click cap is paired with the aluminum can, we use 10-15 times less plastic than typical PET bottles, while granting cans the convenience of plastic bottles. Assuming consistent recycling rates, this reduces the amount of plastic sent to landfills from over 2 kg to less than 0.09 kg per 1000 beverages.
Litter Prevention
Each click cap is securely bonded to the can via induction heating, preventing caps from falling off and polluting the environment, as opposed to traditional PET bottles where the caps can easily be lost and become litter.
Reusability
With a closed loop circularity rate of 90% and a scrap value of ~$991/ton, the reusability of aluminum greatly overshadows PET bottles with their closed-loop circularity rate of 27% and scrap value of ~$205/ton. This discrepancy is a significant reason why aluminum is much more desirable and likely to be accepted by recycling plants. In addition, once accepted for recycling, most of the polypropylene in each click cap is easily recovered during standard aluminum recycling processes, and the final quality of the recycled aluminum is unaffected, aiding in a more circular beverage packaging economy.
A Harmonious Choice
Using the click cap, consumers minimize their environmental impact by reducing plastic usage and engaging with a higher closed-loop circularity product. The click cap exemplifies that convenience and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
*Metabolic Report: Recycling unpacked
** Can Manufacturers Institute: The Aluminum Can Advantage, Sustainability KPIs
*** Carbon Trust: Carbon Footprint of soft Drinks Packaging