Canovation has developed a resealable aluminum can for those who want to reduce plastic pollution but fear their bubbly drinks will go flat in containers with wide-open, stay-on tabs.
According to the Florida-based company's website, the surprisingly simple yet groundbreaking solution could work not only for the beverage sector but also for pharmaceutical storage, pet food packaging, household products, and more.
Daniel Zabaleta, whom Miami's Local10.com described as "the brains" behind the Fort Lauderdale company, told the ABC affiliate that making a resealable aluminum can required a threading technique.
Canovation is a 2021 finalist for the Technology Excellence Awards in the categories: Food/Beverage and Personal Care/Pharma!
— Canovation (@CanovationIntl) September 13, 2021
You can vote on the Pack Expo Las Vegas 2021 app, online at https://t.co/UhanNbn8yU, or onsite at #PackExpoLasVegas . Voting begins September 27. pic.twitter.com/3RvG4ptJ3M
"What we actually developed was a way to add threads to the outside edge of a conventional can," Zabaleta said. "That allows you to now screw in a cap, once the can is fully filled and ready to go."
Moreover, production is less expensive than traditional methods, so lower costs should eventually be passed on to shoppers.
As the report points out, this innovation comes at a time when the beverage industry is rethinking how it packages its products, with consumers playing a significant role as awareness grows about the problem of plastic pollution.
"It is also changing the direction of industry," clean water advocate Dave Doebler told Local10.com. "We're using our purchasing power to tell [the] industry that we want plastic-free options."
Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, but plastic is not, and that is ultimately reflected in our environment.
Analysis from 5 Gyres Institute cited by Local10.com estimates that around 170 trillion plastic pieces are polluting Earth's oceans, harming marine life and even making its way into human bodies through seafood that has ingested microplastic particles, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
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Moreover, most manufacturers use dirty fuels to make plastics, which release additional planet-warming gases like methane when exposed to the sun (according to research published in PLOS One) and shed toxins scientists have linked to health concerns such as cancer and dementia.
Canovation has already won multiple design awards for its CanReseal technology, including the Food & Beverage category at Pack Expo's 2021 Technology Excellence Awards, according to the company website, though getting the designs to market with brands has taken time.
Canovation COO Jeff Grajewski told Local10.com, though, that the world's first resealable can should start hitting shelves soon.
"We are giving brands and consumers an alternative solution that's economical and scalable, and they will see it in the market [about] two years from now," Grajewski said.
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