The Science of Making Soda Bottles

Steve Spangler shares a behind-the-scenes look at a manufacturing plant.

Steve Spangler took us on a behind-the-scenes tour at the PET plant in Denver, Colorado, to learn more about the process used to make soda bottles.

Jeff Cowan is the Senior Plant Manager who has seen many changes in the plastic bottle manufacturing business over the years. The trend is to engineer bottles using less and less plastic and to impress upon everyone the importance of recycling. While touring the manufacturing plant, Steve was impressed to see how much effort is put into the company's focus on recycling - from scrap plastic to the cardboard used in the shipping process. Nearly 10% of all of the PET used to make the 1.5 million bottles AMCOR produces daily comes from recycled plastic.

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Interesting Soda Bottle Facts...

Plastic soda bottles are the #1 recycled plastic in the U.S.
Recycling just 5 two-liter plastic bottles produces enough fiber fill to make a ski jacket, and 35 soda bottles can be turned into the fiber fill needed to stuff a large sleeping bag.
Nearly one third of all carpet comes from recycled PET.

In the Early Days...

Before 1960, most soda pop was bottled in returnable glass bottles. The bottles were printed with a notice that you could get 5 cents if you returned your bottle to the store. As Americans began drinking more and more soda, bottlers saw the need to develop a larger bottle that was easy to carry. Obviously, a glass bottle would be too heavy. To solve the problem, scientists and engineers came up with a way to strengthen plastic by stretching it in two directions. Soon after, a Japanese scientist developed a machine that would both stretch and inflate the bottle with hot air at the same time. (Before PET bottles are inflated, they look like baby soda bottles.) Beginning in 1975, PET bottles were produced all over the world using this method.

Fun Soda Facts...

1874—The first ice cream soda is created and served.

1876—Root beer makes its entrance.

1881—The first cola is served.

1892—Invention of the “crown bottle cap.”

1899—Development of the glass blowing machine.

1913—Trucks were first used as delivery vehicles.

1920—Automatic vending machines pour soda pop into cups.

1923—Cartons called “Home Paks” made carrying soda easy.

1952—First diet soft drinks are introduced.

1958—Soft drinks are poured and sealed into aluminum cans.

1959—The first diet cola makes the shelves.

1962—Pull top cans are introduced.

1965—Bottles are capped with resealable tops.

1973—PET bottles are invented.

1980s—Caffeine-free and low-sodium drinks are introduced.

1991—Soft drink companies use PET bottles for soft drink packaging.

1993—On Earth Day, 1993, the number of soft drink containers recycled reached 384 billion.