Kickstart: Trump tariffs prompt Coke to use more PET

Coca-Cola Co. will shift more of its packaging from aluminum to plastic bottles if President Donald Trump's latest wave of tariffs takes effect.

CEO James Quincey said Feb. 11 that while the 25 percent tariff hike on aluminum will affect costs, it won't significantly disrupt the company's multibillion-dollar U.S. business. The beverage giant may also source domestic aluminum and adjust pricing to mitigate costs.

Aluminum is more expensive than PET, but it is also more widely recycled. Coke has always had the ability to shift between the two packaging substrates, so this is nothing new for its suppliers and bottlers.

The shift comes as Coca-Cola recently downgraded its sustainability goals, reducing its recycled material target and bottle collection commitments.

Before we leave the Super Bowl completely behind, let's take a look at how well polyurethane performed for the Superdome in New Orleans on Feb 9.

When it was originally constructed, the Superdome had a spray polyurethane foam roof. That roof was replaced with a rubber roof in 2003 following damage from a hail storm. However, that roof failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Our sister paper Urethanes Technology International has a story on how the new SPF roof was added after Katrina. Using material supplied by what is now Covestro, the Superdome is now rated to handle winds up to 200 mph.

Of course, worse conditions and new materials may come along to replace SPF. But I'm not sure whether the material would help with a blowout that was seen on the field Sunday night.

(Thanks to Rhoda Miel for contributing this item.)

Companies in the plastics industry are leveraging social media to engage with customers, promote sustainability and showcase innovation, with platforms like TikTok, Bluesky, Facebook and YouTube playing key roles.

On Feb. 11 Plastics News posted its 2025 list of the most interesting social media platforms in plastics.

But that's just one year. What about a more comprehensive list? That's exactly what Hollee Keller, our editorial research coordinator, thought readers would enjoy. So she compiled the full list in her All Things Data blog.

As you'd expect, some of the links have changed a bit since they were first published, but don't worry, Hollee's blog includes current links for everyone. Enjoy!