Brazilian beverage-maker Ambev is bringing back glass bottles for an iconic drink, according to The Pack Hub.
The 1-liter returnable bottles will hold Guaraná Antarctica, a drink originally introduced in 1921 and enjoyed by generations of Brazilians since. The drink is currently being offered in Portugal, Argentina, Bolivia, and Japan, in addition to Brazil. The new bottles will be able to be used 30 times before going to recycling for reforming and reuse.
Ambev will be supporting the switch with infrastructure for returns. Luckily, there's already a rich culture for bottle reuse in Brazil, with 5 billion already in circulation.
Ambev's manufacturing partner, O-I Glass, has already met its Paris-aligned electricity and emissions goals. Meanwhile, Ambev itself has made a range of commitments, including reducing pollution, enhancing local water availability, and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Large-scale programs like Ambev's switch to glass do a great job of reducing plastic use. Plastic accumulation in the Pacific Ocean has created a massive gyre, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems. On land, plastic bottles are a hazard to wildlife.
Over time, plastic bottles also shed particles, which find their way into our food systems. Once ingested, these microplastics can introduce immune, circulatory, digestive, renal, and reproductive health risks. This kind of damage from plastic pollution results in $250 billion in medical expenses annually in the U.S., according to one study.
Brazil itself has been host to some of these costs, including whale deaths and microplastics infiltrating bivalves along protected coastlines.
Switching to glass containers can help put the brakes on these trends, with the small caveat that the increased weight of using glass includes an increase in transportation pollution.
On top of the sustainability benefits of the switch, the return of Guaraná Antarctica in glass bottles will include some nostalgia that the traditional packaging inspires.
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