The first 100% compostable bottle made in Portugal
Sociedade da Água de Monchique, Mirpuri Foundation and Minho University, Partners in a revolutionary project
The first 100% compostable bottle made in Portugal
Sociedade da Água de Monchique joined Mirpuri Foundation and Minho University to develop the first 100% compostable and fast-deteriorating Portuguese packaging – The Good Bottle.
A pioneering project, 100% Portuguese, eco-friendly that promises to revolutionize the industry and it is presented for the first time to the market as a Monchique Water bottle.
As the manufacturing partner, Sociedade da Água de Monchique joined this project with a firm conviction that it will cause a deep transformation in the global industry. “This partnership was destined to happen. We are very honoured to be part of this project that will change the concept of packaging and help make the world a better place. We are proud to see Água Monchique as the first product to be bottled in The Good Bottle”, explained Vítor Hugo Gonçalves, the CEO of Sociedade da Água de Monchique.
Água Monchique has directed most of its R&D efforts to the search of more sustainable packaging solutions that can reduce very significantly the environmental footprint of the company’s activities. “We share some values with Mirpuri Foundation, especially, the common vision on the way we look into the future of the planet. That’s why our team took on immediately The Good Bottle project and started working on it with a strong sense of mission, believing that we are building something much bigger than ourselves that can revolutionize the world industries”, emphasized Vítor Hugo Gonçalves.
It is Sociedade da Água Monchique responsibility to contribute to design an industrial solution that can “transform” this innovative material into a product which can be then adopted massively in the market.
Mirpuri Foundation started in 2018 a protocol with Interface Fibrenamics Minho University aiming to build together a Research & Development programme which intends to create sustainable alternatives to the massive use of plastic packaging.
The group of scientists of Minho University developed a prototype that will revolutionize forever the food and beverages industry and promises to be an example to the world: 100% biodegradable and compostable packaging capable of replacing the single-use and long time decomposing options.
The Good Bottle is a product which consists of a polymer base compostable at home and contains algae that serve as food to the marine species during the bottle degradation. It presents 74% biodegradation rate on day 45 in controlled composting conditions and 90% up to 12 months, depending on the conditions it is exposed to.
In the project, a study was carried out to evaluate acute toxicity of this material in the marine environment using zebrafish. This study obtained excellent results compared to the one with the conventional polymers. On the other hand and since the bottle composition possesses algae, this can serve as food for the marine species during its breaking down process. The base of the material composition and its permament contact with water result in hydrolysis in a short period of time, an enormous advantage for the Oceans preservation.
Presented for the first time as Monchique Mineral Water bottle, its cap is also produced from the same material, that is, with the same biodegradation features.
“This is a pioneering and innovative initiave which intends to lead the necessary change, inspiring different businesses to offer to consumers more and more responsible choices that do not compromise the survival of the future generations”, says Paulo Mirpuri, the President of Mirpuri Foundation.
“This new material we present today as a mineral water bottle in partnership with Sociedade da Água de Monchique promises to pave the way to a profound transformation in the global industry”, added Marianela Mirpuri, the project manager.
“It is indeed a really ambitious project which challenged us immediately due to the emerging need of developing new sustainable solutions for the future. Not only for the people, but also for the Mother Nature”, stated João Bessa, Technology Manager of Interface Fibrenamics Minho University.
