Poland Spring to Use 100% Recycled Plastic by 2022

Poland Spring Brand 100% Natural Spring Water has started transitioning its packaging to recycled plastic (rPET), and plans to be the first major bottled water brand to reach 100% recycled plastic across its still water portfolio by 2022. This month, the brand’s 1-liter bottles will begin being made using 100% rPET. In April, the brand launched its Poland Spring Origin in 900-mL bottles, which are also made entirely of recycled plastic.

“As a company, we’ve already put our stake in the ground when it comes to taking the ‘single’ out of ‘single-use’ plastic bottles,” says Fernando Mercé, president and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Waters North America. “As we begin to transform Poland Spring, our most iconic brand, to 100% recycled plastic packaging, we will begin to bring this commitment to life for our consumers in a tangible way. Bottles like these, which are made from 100% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable, are proof that a fully circular economy is within our reach.”

This initiative comes just months after Poland Spring’s parent company, Nestlé Waters North America, announced that it will achieve 25% recycled plastic across its U.S. domestic portfolio by 2021. The company plans to continue expanding its use of recycled materials in the coming years, with plans to reach 50% recycled plastic by 2025.

However, recycling rates in the United States still hover around 30%. Poland Spring recognizes that in order to fulfill its commitment to use recycled plastic in its packaging, it must also invest in initiatives that help plastic bottles get back in the recycling bin in the first place. Poland Spring, along with its parent company, is collaborating with organizations like Closed Loop Fund to help increase recycling infrastructure. The brand is also expanding How2Recycle labels across all of its packaging, to remind consumers to empty the bottle, replace the cap and recycle when they’re done.