The plastic that is used to make the environmentally friendly Love Bottle is made from plant based Ingeo^TM Biopolymer natural plastics; as opposed to oil.

What is Ingeo^TM Biopolymer?

• Ingeo^TM Biopolymer is currently made from cornstarch, but has the potential to be made from many other types of crops and crop waste. It is also referred to as PLA or Polylactic Acid.
• Ingeo^TM Biopolymer has been successfully used as a replacement for conventional plastics and used for items ranging from food packaging to seedling pots and mobile phones.
• In New Zealand, it has been used successfully in bottled water production.
• Is accepted in recycling bins in places that accept recycle code 7.
• Has a similar shelf life to PET plastic bottles.
• Has a similar look, feel, and properties of regular PET plastic.
• Does not affect the quality or taste of the water.
• Ingeo^TM Biopolymer is manufactured by NatureWorks^® LLC.

What are the Benefits?

• Made from more sustainable, annually renewable plant sugars as opposed to ancient, non renewable and rapidly depleting fossil fuels.
• Corn crops sequests carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, which helps reduce the impact on global climate change. (Sequest is the capture of atmospheric carbon dioxide in a solid material)
• Ability to be fully recycled when volumes reach a critical level (we need your help to achieve this)
• Ability to be composted into natural fertilisers
• Bottles made from Ingeo^TM offer more landfill diversion options than any other plastic, where the infrastructure exists.
• NatureWorks^® (The company the manufactures Ingeo^TM resin) carefully evaluates the social impact use of human food sources prior to manufacturing Ingeo^TM Biopolymer, with a goal to move towards using crop waste.
• Reduce dependence on non renewable, non sustainable and rapidly depleting fossil fuels.
• More controllable long term price stability for raw materials as crops are renewable and have the ability to be recycled more efficiently and effectively than PET plastic.
• Reduce the pressure on fossil fuels which can be better utilised in industries that don't yet have alternative fuels available.
• Be the generation that makes a difference to the way we package our products.
• Ingeo^TM is a stepping stone to eventually utilizing crop waste to create packaging.
• Ingeo^TM intrinsically offers more landfill diversion options than any other plastic, where the infrastructure exists.
• Where Ingeo^TM plant sugars are cultivated from, creates jobs and industry.

What is the End of Life Options for plant based plastics?
Bottles made from Ingeo^TM present one of the most exciting opportunities for packaging to be either fully recycled back into bottles or composted into natural fertilisers.

To find out more about the end of life options for Ingeo^TM bottles please visit this interactive map: http://www.natureworksllc.com/Flash-Items/EOL-Flash.aspx

Ingeo^TM bottles can be recycled at Astron Plastics in Auckland.
http://www.astronplastics.co.nz

For more information about Ingeo^TM Biopolymer and NatureWorks^® refer to:
http://www.natureworksllc.com

Why are Plant based plastics better?
The industrial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) is primarily used to make oil based polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins which is the plastic used to make normal plastic bottles. BPA leaches from the containers into the contents and into our bodies.

The following article in the New Zealand Herald highlights some facts about BPA: "Chemical in plastic bottles 'poisoning us'"