SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has introduced the first refillable plastic cup made from plant-based materials at all SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks across the US.
Manufactured using PlantBottle packaging technology from Coca-Cola, the new reusable, 100% recyclable plastic cup swaps traditional plastic resins with natural sugars that are found in plants.
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SeaWorld plans to use the technology to manufacture its souvenir cups and is exploring opportunities for its potential use in the development of other merchandise.
SeaWorld’s decision to use PlantBottle plastic in its refillable cups is expected to remove 35t of carbon emissions annually, which is equal to saving more than 80 barrels of oil.
Coca-Cola PlantBottle packaging platform general manager Scott Vitters said that the collaboration with SeaWorld demonstrates that PlantBottle technology can be applied anywhere that PET plastic is traditionally used.
"Once we fully realised the power of PlantBottle technology, we knew it had real-world, global applications well beyond our own products," Vitters added.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment culinary operations corporate vice president Andrew Ngo said: "Our friends at The Coca-Cola Company share our commitment to conservation, our passion for the planet, and our innovative approach to consumer experiences."
PlantBottle technology was introduced as the first recyclable PET plastic bottle made partially from plants by The Coca-Cola Company in 2009. More than 20 billion packages have been distributed in 31 countries since then.
Image: SeaWorld Entertainment’s refillable plastic cup made from plant-based materials. Photo: courtesy of PR Newswire.
