Eco Design: The Story of the Bottle Cap
Sometimes it's the simplest ideas that make you stop and think, "Why didn't I come up with that?" Take the bottle cap that stays attached to the bottle, for example. It falls into the same category as a biscuit with a notch – so simple, yet so brilliant.
Caps and lids must be attached to plastic drink bottles.
Sure, the new cap takes a bit of getting used to, but let's face it, the old, detachable caps were a nuisance. They were not just inconvenient but environmentally problematic. A study from 2016 highlights this issue vividly: "Plastic caps, along with cigarette butts, are the most common types of litter found on European beaches." This isn't just an eyesore; it's a blight on our natural landscapes.
Thank you EU!
Legislation incoming. The European Union's steps to push for change and innovation: the European Single Use Plastic Directive. This directive, which might be familiar to you due to its ban on straws, stirrers, and balloon sticks, has pushed companies to start thinking more sustainable. From 2024, it mandates that caps and lids must remain attached to drink containers. This change may seem minor, but its impact is far-reaching.
But that's not all. By 2030, PET bottles must be made from at least one-third recycled plastics, and by 2029, at least 90 percent of all plastic drink bottles up to three liters must be collected. The directive also imposes greater responsibilities and obligations on producers regarding their products and packaging.
But why now?
One might wonder, couldn't this have been thought of earlier? Indeed, patents for such ideas existed as far back as 2017. And let's not forget, humanity placed a man on the moon in 1969! If we could achieve that, surely we could have innovated the simple bottle cap sooner. Imagine the amount of waste we could have reduced over the decades. Anyway, kudos to the companies embracing and implementing these changes. But let's not stop here; let's speed up and spread these solutions worldwide.
Eco-design as a best practice
The moral here is clear: eco-design is best practice. We believe that eco-design should be an integral part of every design and production process. It's about looking beyond just the economic aspect to consider environmental and social impacts. How can we create products that are efficient and eco-friendly? How can we innovate to stay ten steps ahead? Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are a good starting point. They help us understand our current footprint and explore ways to reduce it or use alternative materials, often leading to cost savings as well as environmental benefits.
If you're facing similar challenges regarding sustainability and innovation, remember, there's strength in collaboration and partnerships. Let's innovate together for a sustainable future.
