Eco Offenders in Packaged Water Category Revealed in Expert Life Cycle Study

Beyond recycling, environmental factors including Ozone Depletion, Global Warming, Fossil Fuel Depletion, Smog, and Acidification show that PET plastic and aluminum bottles create significant, compounding carbon footprints.

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Boxed Water Is Better

Oct 27, 2020, 09:09 ET

HOLLAND, Mich., Oct. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Boxed Water Is Better® – the first sustainable alternative in the package water category – is publicly releasing a life cycle study, conducted by sustainability experts Anthesis Group , which compares the cumulative environmental impacts between a 500ML PET plastic bottle, a 500ML aluminum can, and a 500ML carton of Boxed Water™. The full report is available via THIS LINK.

"With respect to the planet, we need to tap into the much broader impact story beyond recycling," noted Boxed Water CMO, Robert Koenen. "All three materials are recyclable. Yet, recycling alone doesn't address the front-end of the problem: the environmental impact of oil drilling and blow molding needed for food grade plastic… and the strip mining and smelting required for aluminum."

In assessing PET plastic bottles vs. Boxed Water cartons, Anthesis found that Boxed Water has a 36% lower carbon footprint (that's global warming), 43% less fossil fuel use, and 95% lower impact on our ozone.

We also know that after decades of nationwide recycling initiatives, only 25% of the 42.6 billon plastic bottles of water sold in the U.S. each year are actually recycled. The rest ends up in our landfills or waterways, or adds to air pollution when incinerated. By 2050, it is anticipated that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans.

"Big Soda" companies including Coke and Pepsi will soon be offering their water brands in aluminum cans as better-than-plastic alternatives. However, compared to aluminum, the Anthesis study found Boxed Water has a 20% lower impact on ozone depletion, 50% lower smog emissions, and a 66% lower impact on acidification due to deforestation.

Aluminum is also a finite material derived from a mineral called bauxite which is strip-mined, crushed, and smelted in a process that requires tremendous heat, water and energy. It takes approximately 20 tons of bauxite to make 1 ton of aluminum. Thus, more than 120 million tons of bauxite waste is produced annually.

"Our official name is Boxed Water is Better because refillable options are best," acknowledged Koenen. "Still there are many industries – hospitality, travel, entertainment, sports, restaurants and more – that will continue to offer packaged water for the foreseeable future, especially in this pandemic age. When considering more sustainable options, the impact of extraction and production need to be part of the social conversation. With this research, our goal is to elevate our consciousness around sustainable efforts and purchasing decisions."

Not all carton water is created equal. This year, Boxed Water became the most sustainable brand in the water category, at 92% plant-based with a new plant-based cap. Boxed Water's cap is derived from residue waste from FSC-certified sustainably grown trees used for pulp and bioenergy, rather than specifically grown for plastic, and has lower CO2 emissions than petroleum and sugarcane. Every Boxed Water carton is created mostly of paper sourced from trees in well managed forests, shipped flat to reduce transportation impacts, and filled close to the source.

To learn more about Boxed Water, visit https://boxedwaterisbetter.com/ or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

ABOUT BOXED WATER
Boxed Water was founded in the belief that sustainability matters with the purpose of changing the way packaged water is shipped, sold and enjoyed. This year, Boxed Water became the most sustainable brand on the market, at 92 percent plant based with their packaging and new plant-based cap. All of Boxed Water's cartons source paper from trees in well-managed forests – where new trees are continuously planted to replace the ones harvested – and are shipped flat to reduce the number of trucks required for transportation. Boxed Water also fills water close to the source and the consumer to reduce its carbon footprint, and all cartons are 100% recyclable, refillable, and BPA free. Boxed Water is a proud member of 1% For The Planet and partner of the National Forest Foundation and Ocean Blue Project. The simple act of choosing Boxed Water is a statement that sustainability matters. Boxed Water is headquartered in Holland, Michigan with filling locations in Michigan and Utah.

ABOUT ANTHESIS GROUP
Anthesis is the sustainability activator. We drive performance through sustainability. Our activator model empowers multi-expert teams to design and deploy solutions that grow productive, resilient organizations, ecosystems, cities, communities and people. With over 500 staff in Europe, Asia, North and South America, we offer an unrivalled spread of services to help you achieve your goals, from strategy to implementation. We take our name from the Greek word "anthesis", the lifecycle stage of a plant when it is most productive.
www.anthesisgroup.com

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SOURCE Boxed Water Is Better