A new wave in water bottle production

Evian Volvic Sources has become the first client of the FPR production unit and has made a reality of its goal to gradually incorporate up to 50% of recycled PET (r-PET) into its bottles starting in 2010.

Signed on 15 July, the agreement calls for production of 10-15,000 tonnes of r-PET, half of the amount used by EVS to produce Evian and Volvic bottles and the equivalent of 35% of the capacity of the new plant. Bottle production meets the demanding specifications needed to preserve the specific qualities of spring water and to commit to high food-safety standards.

With a treatment and purification process, the Limay plant is able to produce granules of r-PET with the same technical and sanitary properties of raw PET. The facility will recycle 40,000 tonnes of bottles a year starting in 2010 and will produce 30,000 tonnes of r-PET.

EVS has worked with FPR for two years to develop a high-performance r-PET facility to design improved packaging as part of its commitment towards actively reducing its environmental impact.

Bottles make up most of Evian and Volvic's carbon footprint and represent a key area in which action can be taken to reduce environmental impact. This agreement is therefore a critical step for EVS in reaching its ambitious environmental goal of attaining carbon neutrality for the Evian brand in 2011. (Accordingly, it is said, in 2011 Evian's environmental impact will be neutral in CO₂ equivalent, the benchmark measurement for climate change.)

r-PET has been incorporated into Evian and Volvic bottles since March 2008 and now makes up 25% of the content in the main formats of Evian and Volvic bottles.

Through the contract with FPR, EVS will increase the longevity of the stock of r-PET and guarantee sufficient supply to gradually increase the amount of r-PET in its bottles to 50%, starting in 2010.