Concept
Plastic is not a valuable commodity, recycling it is labour intensive, water intensive, polluting and expensive. It has to be one of the best and worst inventions of mankind. Drinking water is needed around the globe, at this scale the bottling of water needs to be efficient and cost effective, which is why plastics are the ideal choice. Health advocates advise agaist reusing plastic bottles due to its risk of contamination & harming the water within. A survey also indicated that 60% of individuals refrained from reusing pet plastic bottles because of how they look and feel. TetraPak has been a tried and tested source of aseptic food packaging. It is 100% recyclable and is also less polluting to the environment. The aim was to develop a TetraPak water bottle packaging that once bought can be reused for a considerate period of time.
Overview
- Recyclability
- Reusability
- Utility
- Value addition
PET Plastic
Heat, UV exposure and even storage at room temperature for prolonged time leaches chemicals such as 'phthalates' into the water along with microplastics that when ingested can harm immune systems.
One PET bottle generates more than 100 times the toxic emissions to air and water compared to one glass bottle.
- Non-Biodegradable
- Polluting Production Process
- Contributes to Environmental Toxicity
- Micro-Plastics
- Ocean Ecosystems
Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a form of aseptic packaging, that has an ability to preserve its contents for longer duration without the need of strong and harmful preservatives/stabiliser's. It does not eliminate the use of plastics but rather only uses it to coat a cardboard casing almost like a sandwich.
100% Recyclable
- Recyclable
- Aseptic
- Biodegradable
- Widely used for beverages.
Conceptualisation & Ideation
The name reU interprets the word re-use, stating that even after purchase this bottle can be reused.
The loop not only adds to the products usability but also secures the bottle cap to the the primary body making it easier to be recycled as a whole.
Prototype 1:1
Prototyping
By constructing a net diagram of the internal pouch, pieces of Tetra Pak were assembled, sourced from discarded juice/milk boxes were sealed using waterproofing tape and silicone sealant. The cap of the bottle was also repurposed from a juice box and was sealed with the constructed pouch. Later, a cardboard casing coated with a varnish spray to mimic the thin coating of polyethylene was constructed. The loop of the bottle securing the cap was made using the same Tetra Pak sheet, not only does it add utility but also secures the cap on the bottle itself making it easier to recycle as a whole.