A MOUNTAIN FALLS PROJECT in association with SOS NPO, PETCO and Extrupet

Mountain Falls Natural Mineral Water is a rare find. Situated at the base of the mineral rich Overberg, unique to very few locations in the world, it is the only perfectly balanced bottled water in South Africa. This heightens the responsibility we have to our environment and the impact plastic packaging has on the planet. Along with our strategic partners, we are committed to reducing this impact and ensure that we meet and surpass recycling targets through our ZEROPET project. 

ZEROPET is a Mountain Falls initiative that offers a sustainable plan to create a zero-pet footprint. It aids diverting post-consumer recyclable PET bottles from the environment and landfill sites. We are actively recovering our annual target of 2 million plastic bottles per year via post-consumer PET plastic for recycling, audited by our collectors and recyclers, and directed to PET converters. 

We have contracted with our strategic partners, including our direct client base, encouraging them to participate in re-using and recycling PET via these channels. In collaboration with SOS NPO, we have selected and targeted various community projects to further promote and encourage consumers to participate in the ZEROPET initiative. 

ZEROPET is further emphasised by our new Signature PET range. We have designed and created a unique product, paying special attention to the materials used. The result is a beautiful, reusable bottle that maximises value and eliminates waste. Improved design and business models minimise the use of raw materials and energy through restorative systems. 

Mountain Falls is a member of PETCO, South Africa's national body accountable for managing and growing the collection and recycling of PET bottles after consumer use, on behalf of its members. As such, we pay a fee per tonne on all plastic bottles we produce. This in addition to our own ZEROPET initiative. 

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Why do we support PET?

PET is recognised globally as a safe packaging material for a wide variety of food products. It is safe, shatterproof and 100% recyclable back into PET products like bottles and fibre.

Manufacturers opt for PET due to its strength, thermostability & transparency. Its lightness means fewer costs and decreased carbon emissions relating to transportation.

Retailers prefer PET for product visibility. It is light, which facilitates shelf stacking, while being shatterproof ensures safety, product integrity and less breakage.

Consumers find PET portable, lightweight and resealable for efficient on-the-go-hydration. It is also 100% safe and 100% recyclable.

Environmentally, PET is the most recycled packaging polymer on the shelves. The weight of PET packaging has reduced by more than 30% over the past 10 years. When asked why we promote plastic packages that are recyclable, the answer is simple: In our view it makes better sense from both an environmental and economic perspective to capture the raw material and energy contained in a plastic bottle and re-use it instead of consigning it to landfill sites.

PET packaging saves packaging mass, energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without it, we would use 2 to 3 times more resources. PET packaging production uses about half as much energy as alternative materials, including glass.

PET is also light, which means much less energy is required for transport, particularly in comparison to glass packaging.

In terms of Safety, there is still a lot of confusion about PET after concerns were raised about a completely different kind of plastic – BPA - which is not used in the production of PET material. It is also not used as a chemical building block for any of the materials used in the manufacture of PET. Current research shows that PET does not contain or leach oestrogen-like chemicals such as BPA or other endocrine disrupters and is 100% safe.

PET Recycling is 100% sustainable. Recycled PET, called rPET, is used to make a variety products, including the polyester staple fibre/filament used for clothing, home textiles (duvets, pillows, carpeting), automotive parts (carpets, sound insulation, boot linings, seat covers) and industrial end-use items (geotextiles and roof insulation).

rPET is also used to create new PET packaging and bottles for both food and non-food products. It is generally blended in a ratio of virgin to recycled, depending on the application required. PET packaging can be made with up to 100% recycled PET, recapturing both the material and the inherent energy of the original package. It can also be recycled multiple times.

PET is too valuable to be thrown away, so Do 1 Thing. Recycle.

#DO1THING. RECYCLE.