The Mirpuri Foundation, in collaboration with Interface Fibrenamics Minho University, developed “The Good Bottle”, an innovative package that is 100% biodegradable and was developed for the welfare of humanity.
This new material, presented today in the shape of a mineral water bottle, in partnership with Sociedade da Água de Monchique, the industrial partner, promises to make way for a profound transformation in the global industry.
A historic milestone in combating plastic in order to protect not only what is inside the bottle, but to also preserve the life of everything and everyone on the outside.
- “The Good Bottle” is a Mirpuri Foundation pioneering initiative in collaboration with Interface Fibrenamics Minho University and Sociedade da Água de Monchique, S.A.;
- 100% biodegradable and fast-deteriorating packaging material;
- Historic milestone in combating single-use plastic which pretends to revolutionize the industry;
- Good for human health and the environment;
- Bottle’s composition contains algae, which help renew oceans and contribute towards marine life conservation;
- Material 100% created in Portugal, which promises to be an example for the whole world;
The Mirpuri Foundation started a protocol with Interface Fibrenamics Minho University in 2018 with the aim of together building a research and development program that will create an alternative to alter the way plastic packaging is mass-produced. A competitive, equally light, biodegradable option good to health and the environment .
Through Foundation investment, the team of scientists elaborated a prototype which will forever revolutionize the consumer goods industry: 100% biodegradable and compostable packaging will substitute the disposable and long-term decomposition options currently available on shelves. Thus emerges “The Good Bottle”, an innovative material created in Portugal, which promises to be an example for the whole world.
The Sociedade da Água de Monchique is responsible for contributing to the industrial solution with this innovative material in a product that can be made available to the mass market.
“The Good Bottle” is a product comprised of a compostable polymeric base in a domestic environment, and its composition contains algae. As the bottle breaks down and degrades the algae serves as food for marine species.
Presented for the first time in the form of a mineral water bottle, in partnership with Sociedade da Água de Monchique, the cap is also produced from the same composition, therefore relying on the same biodegradable characteristics. The “Good Bottle” shows a 74% biodegradability rate after 45 days, and under controlled composting conditions in accordance with the ISO norm 14855-1:2012, and a 90% rate up to 12 months, depending on the conditions it is exposed to, according to ISO norm 13432.
The ”Good Bottle” offers many advantages for Ocean conservation. Amongst them we would like to highlight that the scope of the project included a study to evaluate the material’s grave toxicity in a marine environment using Zebrafish, which rendered excellent results in comparison with those registered using conventional polymers. On the other hand, since the bottle’s composition is comprised of algae, these might serve as food for the marine species during the bottle’s quick disintegration process. The material’s base composition and its permanent contact with water triggers its hydrolysis in a very short time span. The material is also biodegradable when in contact with organic waste.
“This is a pioneering and innovative initiative, which hopes to spearhead the necessary change by inspiring the most diverse sectors and offering consumers responsible choices, which do not threaten the survival of future generations”, comments Paulo Mirpuri, President of the Mirpuri Foundation.
“This new material, which we are presenting today in the form of a mineral water bottle, in partnership with Sociedade da Água de Monchique, pretends to bring about a profound transformation in the global industry”, added Marianela Mirpuri, Project Manager.
“It was, without a doubt, an extremely ambitious project, whose challenge attracted us from the start because of the emerging need to develop new sustainable solutions for the future. Not only for mankind but also for mother nature”, affirms João Bessa, Interface Fibrenamics Minho University Technology Manager.
Lastly, Vitor Hugo Gonçalves, the CEO of Sociedade da Água de Monchique, explained that “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” and added that “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 the 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”.
Additional information
About “THE GOOD BOTTLE”
– 100% biodegradable and compostable Product;
– Material made from a biological base that is compostable in a domestic environment in accordance with ISO 13432. This material is combined with dehydrated algae particles, originating a unique composition;
– Features a 74% biodegradability rate after 45 days in compliance with ISO Norm 14855 which evaluates the same situation under controlled aerobic compost conditions (58±2ºC). A value equivalent to cellulose ( a natural material) and superior to conventional polymers such as PET or PLA;
– Limited to a 7,7 mg/dm2 global migration of particles in compliance with Norm 10/2011, just under the 10 mg/dm2 limit needed to comply to guarantee food safety. This norm evaluates a migration of contaminants through its own material.
– Testing conducted at CIIMAR, to evaluate acute toxicity in a marine environment using Zebrafish registered a mortality rate of 8,3% for material concentration developed in 200 µg/ml, at the end of 12 days. This value is considerably lower when compared with other similar studies on record, for example for the PE, which rendered a mortality rate 50% superior for concentrations of only 100 µg/ml after 6 days.
