Coca Cola launches new eco-can

Coca Cola has pioneered a new drinks can design that will save 15,000 tonnes of aluminium ever year.

The new design, which uses 5% less aluminium than traditional drinks cans, will help cut back on how much of the rare metal is used in Europe.

In addition, using less aluminium means less carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

The metal in the cans is less than 0.1mm thick, about the width of a human hair.

The strength of the cans is not affected.

In total, the new cans will cut the carbon footprint of the drinks industry by 78,000 tonnes per year, the same as taking almost 25,000 cars off the road.

Six and half billion of the cans have already been produced and distributed, with major drinks brands and brewers across Europe readily taking up the new design.

Coca Cola has also reduced the amount of glass in its iconic 330ml bottle, down 20% from 263g to 210g.

The new bottles are 0.1mm wider and 13mm shorter than the original.

A spokesperson for Coca Cola said the new designs are part of the company’s sustainability strategy in Great Britain and across Europe.

He added that the company works ‘extremely hard’ to minimise its environmental impact, and will continue seeking new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

UK Government body WRAP (Waste & Recycling Action Programme) welcomed the cans and the bottles.

WRAP’s director of retail, Richard Swannell, said the group is ‘delighted’ at the ‘ground breaking’ development in drinks can production.

He added that by looking to reduce their carbon footprints, companies can also discover ‘tangible cost savings’.