November 07, 2024 – Global Beverage Giant Suntory Unveils World’s First Commercial Bio-Paraxylene PET Bottles from Waste Cooking Oil
In a groundbreaking move, Japanese beverage conglomerate Suntory has announced the launch of PET bottles produced using bio-paraxylene derived from waste cooking oil, effective November 2024. This innovative initiative marks the debut of the world’s first commercial bio-paraxylene PET bottles, which offer significant advantages in reducing CO2 emissions compared to traditional petroleum-based PET bottles. Suntory plans to initially produce around 45 million of these PET beverage bottles and further expand their application scope.
PET resin, the core raw material for PET bottles, consists of 30% monoethylene glycol (MEG) and 70% terephthalic acid (TPA). Suntory, a pioneer in sustainability, has been using plant-derived MEG in its natural water brand PET bottles since 2013. Now, the company has once again broken through technical barriers by successfully converting waste cooking oil into bio-paraxylene, opening up a new source of bio-based raw materials for PET bottle production.
AsiaMB understands from the Color Masterbatch Industry Network that to achieve this feat, Suntory has collaborated with seven companies, including ENEOS and Mitsubishi, to build a global supply chain. From waste cooking oil collection to bio-naphtha production and bio-paraxylene and PET resin manufacturing, each stage has been meticulously planned and efficiently coordinated. Mitsubishi Corporation is responsible for managing the entire supply chain, Neste for refining bio-naphtha from waste cooking oil, and Mitsui Chemicals for producing intermediate materials for bio-paraxylene. ENEOS then uses a mass balance approach to extract bio-paraxylene from these intermediate materials, while Indorama Ventures combines MEG with TPA produced from bio-paraxylene to create PET resin. Iwatani Corporation handles the entire process from PET resin production to delivery, and Suntory processes these PET resins into final PET bottle products.
Furthermore, Suntory is actively pursuing its 2R+B plan, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of PET bottles through a combination of reduction, recycling, and bio-based materials. In September 2023, the company partnered with ENEOS to collect waste cooking oil in Japan, planning to use these resources to produce bio-based PET bottles. In line with Suntory’s plastic policy formulated in 2019, the company has set a clear goal: to use only recycled or bio-based materials for all PET bottles globally by 2030, bidding farewell to petroleum-based materials.
As a century-old global company, Suntory has always embraced an innovative spirit, constantly exploring new product categories and markets. With the launch of bio-paraxylene PET bottles, the company has taken a solid step forward in promoting a circular economy and carbon-neutral society.