A comparative analysis of the environmental and structural performance of pet bottle designs in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) has become the most commonly used material in the global beverage bottling industry. PET bottle production has increased by over seven times within the last three decades. However, the use of PET has a considerably detrimental effect on the environment, and many studies have been carried out on curbing this damage. Reducing the amount of material used, design for recycling, repurposing, and reusing are possible approaches for mitigating the negative environmental impacts of the PET bottle industry. The local PET bottle market has a range of products to cater the various customer requirements. To obtain a holistic vision of the actual impacts of this industry, life cycle thinking becomes necessary. The objective of this study is to present a methodological framework for comparing the environmental performance and structural performance of PET bottle designs, using case studies from the Sri Lankan market. A life cycle assessment and a finite element analysis were carried out to evaluate the overall environmental impacts of the PET supply chain and the structural performance of PET bottles. The outcomes of the study are used to provide recommendations on the short and long-term strategies to increase the eco-friendliness of the PET bottle industry.