PET Project Unites Ford, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble in Effort to Develop Plant-Based Plastic

Five titans of industry have formed a strategic working group that will focus on developing plastics made entirely from plants.

The group -- comprised of Coca-Cola Co. (IW 500/29), Ford Motor Co. (IW 500/6), H.J. Heinz Co. (IW 500/102), Nike Inc. (IW 500/58) and (Procter & Gamble Co. (IW 500/11) -- aims to further the development of polyethylene terephthalate, or PET.

PET is a durable, lightweight plastic used by all five manufacturers in products and materials such as plastic bottles, apparel, footwear and automotive fabric and carpet.

The Plant PET Technology Collaborative will focus on "accelerating the development and use of 100% plant-based PET materials and fiber in their products," the group said in a press release.

"The collaborative builds upon the success of The Coca-Cola Co.'s PlantBottle packaging technology, which is partially made from plants and has demonstrated a lower environmental impact when compared to traditional PET plastic bottles," the group said. "Currently, Heinz licenses the technology from Coca-Cola for select Heinz ketchup bottles in the U.S. and Canada."

By pooling their R&D resources, the group seeks to "evolve today's material that is partially made from plants to a solution made entirely from plants."

The companies also will "aim to drive the development of common methodologies and standards for the use of plant-based plastic, including lifecycle analyses and universal terminology."

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