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Plastic wine bottles

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:18 pm
by rednut
Forgive me if this is in here somewhere but I couldnt find it.

I read in todays Adelaide Advertiser re Fosters using plastic wine bottles for export I think and possibly all wines eventually.

Opinions?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:11 pm
by beef
What advantages does plastic have over glass? Just lighter and cheaper to manufacture?

It will be a loooooong time before Grange is sold in plastic bottles.

Stuart

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:29 am
by Nayan
Being lighter they help to reduce the fuel expenditure for transportation, which is no bad thing either financially or environmentally.

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:52 am
by Dave Dewhurst
The article also stated that the plastic bottles let in more air and therefore will have a recommended storage time of 9 months :shock:. Probably OK for >99% of wine sold in Oz then!! :D

Cheers

Dave

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:14 am
by El Josho
I read somewhere that despite the cost of transport arguement, they are actually more energy hungry to recycle than glass. Net result is in favour of using glass through the packaged goods entire lifecycle.

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:37 pm
by Nayan
El Josho wrote:I read somewhere that despite the cost of transport arguement, they are actually more energy hungry to recycle than glass. Net result is in favour of using glass through the packaged goods entire lifecycle.

Yes, and no. It depends on the market the wines are destined for. For example recycling, and glass recycling more to the point is minimal in the UK (through logistics and cost), so it is cheaper to send it all to land fill...

El Josho, where did you read about this? I'm doing some research on the relative costs (financially and environmentally) of different packaging and transport options, and would love to get all the info I can.

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:33 pm
by Deano
Sorry for my poor memory (also those ear plugs in my head didn't help), but having done a glass factory tour in Adelaide a few months back i remember the tour guide mentioning about the problem of OZ glass going to UK is not compatiable. Apparently they can only recycle the european type glass, while our OZ coloured glass is a waste to landfill.

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:59 pm
by Nayan
Deano wrote:Sorry for my poor memory (also those ear plugs in my head didn't help), but having done a glass factory tour in Adelaide a few months back i remember the tour guide mentioning about the problem of OZ glass going to UK is not compatiable. Apparently they can only recycle the european type glass, while our OZ coloured glass is a waste to landfill.

Wine packaging and Quality management per chance? Those stairs around the ACI factory are pretty damned slippery, aren't they.

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:23 pm
by seanwines
Would really like to enjoy a wine at the Footy some days.
Wish they would produce a bottle of Red to compete with all the RTD’s and beer’s.