More than 30 years ago – Bertram Brökelmann questioned himself: ‘What packaging is required for cooking oils?’ The forward-thinking entrepreneur not only had expenses in mind but also required the most environmentally friendly packaging potential. In conclusion, the decision was a one-liter PET bottle for cooking oil. As the senior associate of the German oil mill, describes: ‘The crucial point in the choice of the PET bottle weighing just 20 grams preferably than the one-liter glass bottle weighing around 700 grams was finally the carbon footprint. They are principally based on the weight difference of 680 grams. 

Trusting, long-term cooperation

ALPLA has an in-house facility to produce PET bottles at Brökelmann in Hamm. The in-house production advances environmental benefits, as there is no requirement for any HGV transit or repackaging. The close-knit cooperation with clients also wants continuous improvement. Thus, the one-liter PET bottle for Cooking Oil has reduced a lot of weight over the years. Today, it measures as lower as 15.9 grams. 

That saves not only materials and costs, but also greenhouse gases during transport to oil retailers. At an initial glimpse, 4 grams less per bottle might not look like a lot. But when it extrapolated to the annual volumes over a more extended period, it eventually means a significant aiding to save resources.

But the Brölio PET oil bottle was and continued the lightest weight bottle in the world. Of course, decision-makers also analyzed like logistics and product protection.

Pioneer for innovative products

In spring 2019, Bertram Brökelmann raised the question again: ‘Which packaging is the most sustainable for our products?’ 

Really, ‘Are PET oil bottles still the right choice?’ The subject still convinced that the light PET bottles ecologically and economically preferred to the glass alternatives. But, not limited due to the emotional conversations about plastic packaging, they wanted to have watertight data in front of them. ‘Plastic packaging is being asked as usual. But the Hamm oil company would like to communicate a positive feeling to enthusiastic members of the public and its customers that they are also purchasing an ecologically beneficial product with the PET bottle,’ Bertram Brökelmann wrote to ALPLA CEO Günther Lehner.

Life Cycle Assessment of PET bottle

At this point, the ALPLA Sustainability Team included. In April 2019, ALPLA did a comprehensive life cycle assessment of PET bottles – LCA (ISO 14044) of the environmental results of packaging in Austria. 

PET bottles of cooking oils on the German market now also to be examined using this technique. The Alpla PET oil bottle from with various proportions of recyclate, the autonomous consultancy c7-consult analyzed disposable glass containers from chosen German brand-name oils and olive oils from Europe. The different transport distances examined in the life cycle assessment of PET bottle.

A life cycle assessment of PET bottle studies the environmental impacts of products during their entire life cycle. In this case, it involves the production of the bottle, the fastening, labels, sales, and transport, packaging, filling, shipping to retail, waste during filling, and the replacement and disposal of trash. Six inventory report parameters and seven impact categories calculated to compare the environmental impacts — these vary from the contribution made to climate shift to summer smog and water consumption.

PET bottle has the most economical environmental impacts

The outcomes give an excellent reference for the PET bottle for oil packaging: it reaches out considerably better in all impact sections and inventory study parameters than the disposable glass bottles examined. A more significant proportion of recyclate further enhances the result for the PET bottles. Notwithstanding, due to the very low weight of the PET oil bottle, the advantage is not very noticeable.

Outstanding results for #PET #bottles for cooking #oil. Together with our partner, the German oil mill Brökelmann, we developed the lightest #oilbottle in the world. Factors such as logistics and product safety also played a role. Read more on our blog: https://t.co/Llu8C8fkXB pic.twitter.com/xdVNN2prSP

— ALPLA (@ALPLApackaging) October 29, 2019