Eastman Chemical Co.'s Tritan Renew resin has made its European debut in water bottles and food storage containers made by Italian firm Snips srl.
Tritan Renew is a durable, BPA-free copolyester that contains 50 percent recycled content made through molecular recycling, officials with Eastman in Kingsport, Tenn., said in a news release.
The water bottles and food storage containers support Snips' eco-friendly initiatives.
"Sustainability is at the core of our business," said Raffaele Piacenza, owner of Ossago Lodigiano-based Snips.
"Reusable housewares are a practical way to eliminate single-use plastic waste," he added. "We need to start thinking about new solutions to enjoy the advantages that plastic offers while reducing waste.
Tritan Renew is made through Eastman's Advanced Circular Recycling — also known as molecular recycling — which breaks down plastic waste into fundamental building blocks to be used again in manufacturing processes.
By replacing traditional fossil feedstocks with recycled content, officials said that Eastman is helping to divert plastic waste from landfills, incinerators and oceans. The process also produces less greenhouse gas emissions than manufacturing with fossil feedstocks.
Tritan Renew is chemically identical to standard grades of Tritan copolyester in clarity, shatter resistance and dishwasher durability, officials said.
The new products are part of Snips' 4 Recycle line and are the first adoption of Tritan Renew in the Europe, Middle East and Africa market. "We're excited to help Snips augment its eco-friendly lineup," Eastman market development manager Arnold van den Berg said. "We believe Tritan Renew, as a way of reducing plastic waste, will resonate with their customers."
Eastman is building a plastic-to-plastic molecular recycling facility in Kingsport. The plant will be one of the largest in the world, officials said.
Eastman employs 14,500 worldwide and posted sales of $8.5 billion in 2020.