Design Life-Cycle

Nola Zimdars

DES 040 A04

Spring 2024

May 29, 2024

Nalgene Bottle: Materials 

The Nalgene water bottle has come a long way since its origin in 1949 in upstate New York. In Rochester chemist Emanuale Goldberg wanted to create laboratory products that were lighter than glass and less likely to shatter. He developed test tubes, petri dishes, pipettes, jars, and bottles made from plastic that could be used by scientists. Named after Goldberg’s wife, Nalgene Labworks was born. When outdoor recreation started gaining popularity in the 60’s, scientists began bringing the laboratory bottles on their backpacking trips through the Adirondack mountains. The leakproof and lightweight bottles were convenient for hiking, especially as the concept of “pack in/pack out” was promoted by conservationists. Before then campers and hikers would just burn their trash and bury their cans and bottles, but now there was the option of a reusable bottle that discouraged leaving waste. Nalgene Labworks bottles were becoming increasingly frequent on the pacing list of outdoor adventurers. Even the company president was catching on, bringing bottles on his son’s Boy Scout camping trips, which inspired him to start marketing labware bottles as outdoor gear. Since then, Nalgene bottles have become an outdoors essential because of their reliable sturdiness. 

Nalgene’s original bottles were made with Polycarbonate which is a hard plastic created by the polymerization of two chemicals. One chemical is Phosgene COC12, which is the product of a reaction from combining chlorine from sodium chloride and carbon monoxide from fossil fuels like coal or oil. The other is Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, that is created from a reaction between phenol and acetone and used to make plastic hard. For 50 years of manufacturing, Nalgene used Polycarbonate plastic to make their bottles, but in the early 2000s public interest began avoiding products with BPA. Research began finding exposure to BPA exposure had harmful effects to humans in 2003. The National Institute of Health recommended the National Toxicology Program do an assessment through their Center for Evaluation of Risk to Human Reproduction branch. After drama involving lobbyists and industry bias influencing research, the government finally declared the risks from BPA toxicity in 2008 (Timeline). Research shows BPA leaches into food, drinks, and even air from plastic packaging or resin lined cans. Once in the body, BPA can mimic hormones and can delay puberty in females and expedite it in males. It can also cause behavior problems in children, heart problems, metabolism and weight gain, and cancer. Following the National Toxicology Program’s findings, Canada officials proclaim BPA as a “dangerous substance” and announce efforts to limit public exposure (Cimmino). Manufacturers and retailers catch on and begin phasing out products containing plastic with BPA. States began to regulate BPA and REI, Patagonia, and other outdoors stores stopped carrying products with BPA, including Nalgene bottles (Austen). This pushes Nalgene to announce a new line of bottles made from a new type of plastic not containing BPA.  

In 2008 Nalgene released a new line of bottles made from a plastic called Tritan. Developed by Eastman Chemical the Copolyester is made from di-methylterephthalate (DMT), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (TMCD). To put it in plain language these organic compounds are ethanol, which is an alcohol, and methane, which is a fossil fuel (Osimitz). Tritan was created in October of 2007, right when Nalgene was in the market for a new BPA free material. With Tritan plastic the Nalgene factory in Rochester, NY produces 8 million bottles per year. The process starts with silos holding up to 35,000 kilograms of Tritan plastic pellets, which travel into the factory through pipes that empty out into a hopper with colored pellets. Then the pellets are put through an injection molding machine, where they are heated to become molten plastic that can be blown into a mold around a core. While still hot and malleable, the bottles’ shape is created by pumping 150 pounds of pressurized air into the plastic mold. Once the proper shape, the logo and labels are silk screen printed on. The lid and strap, which are also made from the Tritan plastic pellets, are fused with ultrasonic welding and then added to the bottles. Once finished, the Nalgene bottles are shipped out to retailers and customers (How Nalgene). What makes this new material special is that it is uniquely durable and shatterproof, lightweight, doesn’t absorb odors or flavors, temperature resistant so it can be microwaved or dishwashed, and most importantly BPA free. 

In response to a growing demand for sustainable products and low carbon manufacturing practices Eastman Chemical created Tritan Renew in 2019. Similar to the original Tritan material, but made using recycled plastic. Tritan Renew reduces the amount of fossil fuel emissions and overall carbon footprint that is output from creating Nalgene bottles. It also helps promote the practice of a circular economy, which is an ideal model for production and consumption where the principles of reuse, repair, refurbish, and recycling are exercised. Using post-consumer food grade polyester, Tritan Renew is created. Eastman Chemical set the goal of salvaging 250 million pounds of waste annually by 2025 (About). This waste plastic is given a new life with a process called molecular recycling. Molecular renewal technology is revolutionary because prior plastic recycling would degrade the matrices and the plastics could only be repurposed a limited amount of times before they become unusable. Unlike traditional mechanical plastic recycling, Eastman Chemical invented the molecular recycling technology that can be used in two different ways. Polyester renewal, where plastics that are normally hard to recycle, such as colored plastic, carpet, soda bottles, and polyester clothing are utilized. The technology uses glycolysis and methanolysis to produce materials that are identical to virgin, non recycled materials. Eastman Chemical describes the process as “depolymerization, allows us to recycle polyester waste again and again without degradation over time and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 20%–30% at the intermediate level compared to processes using fossil fuels”. In the Nalgene factory in Tennessee they are currently using glycolysis for their polyester renewal technology in the production of new materials that will be used to manufacture new bottles (Polyester Renewal Technology). The other molecular recycling technology involves carbon renewal. This process can transform the majority of plastics including PET, high and low density polyethylene, and PP back into their basic chemical building blocks. Similarly to polyester recycling, the renewed materials can be recycled infinitely without forfeiting quality and the emissions are reduced 20-50% (Carbon Renewal Technology). This material is so special because it is both BPA free so it’s safe for consumers and less detrimental to the environment with its ability to prevent waste from reaching landfills and emitting less carbon in its production. 

All Nalgene bottles manufactured today are made with Tritan or Tritan Renew, which uses about 50% recycled materials. This material is reliability tough which goes hand and hand with Nalgenes brand identity. Tritan’s ability to be light, shatterproof, non absorbing or flavors or odors, resilience to extreme heat and cold, and dishwasher safe are all qualities that help Nalgene bottles last a lifetime. Sturdy materials that create a product that can survive a lifetime of outdoor adventures help Nalgene bottles be reused over and over again. We are in a world where tremendous amounts of fossil fuels are used to create billions of disposable plastic water bottles, just for them to be used one time and then thrown away. In America alone we are throwing away 60 million bottles per day to a landfill where they will exist for hundreds of years until they break down into microplastics. Nalgene’s bottles are designed to be as reusable as possible, in their materials, construction, simplistic style, and their identity as a sustainable brand. Nalgene preaches “refill, not landfill”, encouraging their customers to use their reusable bottles and refill them rather than using one disposable bottle and then discarding it. They even developed an app to help consumers track their water intake, and calculate how many disposable plastic bottles they are keeping out of landfills. 

Nalgene’s Tritan is a #7 plastic which is an umbrella category for all the extra plastics that aren’t as easy to classify. #7 plastics are usually difficult to recycle, but it all depends on one's location and local recycling facilities. The reality is that even if a Nalgene bottle makes it to a recycling facility, there is such an abundance of plastic that the majority of it doesn’t get recycled and the majority of it ends up in landfills. Only about 9% of plastic get recycled, which is definitely not much of a dent in the 430 million tons of plastic produced yearly (Think That). The durability of Nalgene bottles is a bit of a double edge sword in that if they do end up in a landfill they will probably never degrade. The millions and millions of Nalgene bottles that have been created, will exist for hundreds of years, just to degrade into microplastics. That said, while used they keep disposable bottle usage and waste down, which is important. Nalgene is just one company but they are doing what they can with their efforts to promote sustainability, a circular economy, and recycling plastic waste.

Bibliography

"About | Tritan Renew | Eastman." LLumar, https://www.eastman.com/en/products/brands/tritan/about/renew. Accessed 1 June 2024.

Austen Bottle Maker to Stop Using Plastic Linked to Health Concerns - The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/business/18plastic.html. Accessed 29 May 2024.

"Carbon Renewal Technology | Eastman Circular Economy." LLumar, https://www.eastman.com/en/sustainability/environmental/circularity/circular-solutions/carbon-renewal-technology. Accessed 1 June 2024.

Cimmino, Ilaria, et al. “Potential Mechanisms of Bisphenol A (BPA) Contributing to Human Disease.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 21, no. 16, Aug. 2020, p. 5761. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21165761.

How Nalgene Makes Its Water Bottles | The Making Of - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndG8KrI0kWY. Accessed 30 May 2024.

Osimitz, Thomas G., et al. “Lack of Androgenicity and Estrogenicity of the Three Monomers Used in Eastman’s TritanTMCopolyesters.” Food and Chemical Toxicology: An International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, vol. 50, no. 6, June 2012, pp. 2196–205. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.02.010.

"Polyester Renewal Technology | Eastman Circular Economy." LLumar, https://www.eastman.com/en/sustainability/environmental/circularity/circular-solutions/polyester-renewal. Accessed 1 June 2024.

"Think That Your Plastic Is Being Recycled? Think Again." MIT Technology Review, https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/12/1081129/plastic-recycling-climate-change-microplastics/. Accessed 3 June 2024.

Timeline: BPA from Invention to Phase-Out | Environmental Working Group. https://www.ewg.org/research/timeline-bpa-invention-phase-out. Accessed 29 May 2024.

Jinhe Zhang

DES 040 A04

Spring 2024

Jun 5, 2024

Energy Use Related to Tritan and Tritan Renew Materials Used in Nalgene Bottles

Abstract

Nalgene's water bottles made from Tritan and Tritan Renew materials are more environmentally friendly than their counterparts in terms of raw materials and manufacturing. Moreover, the maintenance and recycling are among the top in the plastic industry. This paper discusses embedded energy in the life cycle of the Nalgene bottles made of Tritan and Tritan Renew.

This paper only discusses the bottles made of Tritan Renew and Tritan by Eastman under Nalgene.

Introduction

The sustainability of the plastics industry has been emphasized in current society in the context of the pollution crisis facing the global environment. Nalgene, a brand of innovative plastic products, is widely recognized by the public for the excellent durability and impact resistance of its water bottles. In addition, the company's water bottles made from Tritan and Tritan Renew materials, produced in partnership with Eastman Chemical Company, are free of BPA, BPS and other harmful chemicals, preventing the ingestion of trace amounts of plastics that can affect human health while reducing the polyester industry's reliance on plastics and pollution to the environment. This paper aims to explore and visualize the energy use of Tritan and Tritan Renew materials in three areas: raw material sourcing, product manufacturing and processing, and recycling.

 Raw Materials Acquisition

    Nalgene water bottles made from Tritan and Tritan Renew materials have lower energy requirements for raw material sourcing and product manufacturing than competitive products. Tritan copolyester, a novel plastic from Eastman, is manufactured using dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (CBDO).  It is important to note that all three of the materials used to make Nalgene water bottles are synthetic chemicals. The raw materials for these three materials include paraxylene, methanol, cyclohexane, and hydrogen. More specifically, the raw materials used to make these three materials require the use of several large-scale devices such as separation and purification equipment, coking units, etc. that are powered by electricity and fueled by fuel oil, coal, or natural gas. The polymerization process of Tritan materials can be carried out at lower temperatures and pressures than other conventional plastics such as polycarbonate, which reduces the amount of heat and electricity needed to produce the raw materials, thereby further reducing the need for fossil fuels. Tritan Renew is based on the original Tritan manufacturing process, replacing 50% of the raw materials used with recycled chemical materials and utilizing molecular recycling technology, making Tritan Renew more sustainable and environmentally friendly while delivering all of the benefits of Tritan. According to Nalgene's published data, Tritan Renew reduces fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 50 percent over Tritan. Comparatively, because Tritan Renew's raw materials are based on the recycling of other waste plastics, its recycling transportation costs and process technology will cost slightly more in oil, natural gas and electricity. Even so, Nalgene water bottles made from Tritan and Tritan Renew materials are able to capture the resources needed to manufacture the product with fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less energy than comparable products.

 Manufacturing, Processing and Formulation

    The unique material properties of Tritan and Tritan Renew ensure that Nalgene's water bottles are processed efficiently, reducing the amount of energy wasted in the manufacturing and processing of the bottles. Tritan and Tritan Renew materials show their environmentally friendly characteristics and strong material performance in the production process. The use of distillation technology allows Tritan to react effectively during the purification of the raw material, while the hydrogenation of the raw material provides Tritan with impact resistance. This makes the secondary processing of Tritan and Tritan Renew straightforward and less energy-intensive than with conventional plastics, while still being harmless to the environment. These technologies require electricity to power the machinery and heat the material, fossil energy to generate sufficient amounts of heat, and steam reforming or water electrolysis to obtain the hydrogen that reinforces the Tritan and Tritan Renew materials, which in turn requires additional water and natural gas. In terms of processing, the production of Nalgene water bottles requires the use of large-scale machinery, such as steam boilers and turbine generators, powered by natural gas or coal. Meanwhile, cogeneration technology, which combines electricity and heat, is indispensable for manufacturing Nalgene water bottles as well. In addition, ultrasonic welding technology, which is primarily driven by electricity, and injection molding machine heating play a critical role in the injection molding of Nalgene water bottles. To sum up, Nalgene water bottles utilize more complex chemical production techniques for manufacturing and processing than typical plastics. However, the refinement of Nalgene water bottles avoids the need for tedious and useless processing steps, thanks to the preservation of the good characteristics of the Tritan and Tritan Renew materials used in their manufacture. Admittedly, Eastman Chemical Company's advanced manufacturing techniques have allowed Tritan and Tritan Renew materials to be produced in a way that reduces the release of hazardous substances and the waste of under-reacted energy during the manufacturing process, while at the same time giving the product the characteristics that consumers prefer, which is strength and lightweight.

Recycling

    Tritan and Tritan Renew materials have displayed amazing efficiencies in recycling efficiency, and their advanced recycling renewal technologies have given Nalgene a product regeneration that is unparalleled in the industry. To be more specific, Eastman Chemical Company's Polyester Renewal Technology and Carbon Renewal Technology ensure that all of Nalgene's Tritan and Tritan Renew water bottles are recycled with high efficiency. The former chemically breaks down used polyester to its basic molecular units and ultimately re-polymerizes it into high-quality new polyester, while the latter breaks down recycled plastics at high temperatures into syngas and re-synthesizes the new material. These two chemical recycling technologies not only effectively remove impurities and pollutants from the waste recycled materials, but also purify the raw materials of the products again, realizing the full utilization of energy and the protection of the natural environment. In addition, since the recycling site for the waste materials is located in Kingsport, Tennessee, United States, as is the Eastman chemical factory where the Tritan and Tritan Renew materials are made, the cost of transporting the materials for recycling and energy consumption is greatly reduced, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gradually eliminating the reliance on fossil fuels. Furthermore, since Tritan materials can be used as raw materials for Tritan Renew materials at the end of their life, the recycling process is a virtuous cycle that allows Nalgene water bottles to reduce their negative impact on the natural environment while lowering the cost of producing their environmentally friendly products.

Conclusion

    In combination, Nalgene's water bottles made from Tritan and Tritan Renew are characterized by high product recyclability, high material utilization and low environmental impact. Analyzed from an objective point of view, it truly makes sense to minimize the carbon footprint of products while reducing the use of fossil fuels and other natural energy resources.

Bibliography

Author links open overlay panelThomas G. Osimitz a, et al. “Lack of Androgenicity and Estrogenicity of the Three Monomers Used in Eastman’s TritanTM Copolyesters.” Food and Chemical Toxicology, Pergamon, 17 Feb. 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691512000865?via%3Dihub.

Gbautz. “Nalgene Water Fund Introduces Second Bottle to Support the Navajo Nation.” Nalgene, 29 Sept. 2022, nalgene.com/nalgene-water-fund-introduces-limited-edition-bottle/.

Glausiusz, Josie. “Toxicology: The Plastics Puzzle.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 16 Apr. 2014, www.nature.com/articles/508306a.

Home, corporate.thermofisher.com/us/en/index/corporate-social-responsibility/operations/global-supply-chain.html#Responsiblesourcing. Accessed 5 June 2024.

Marketing, Tavalon. “What Is Tritan Plastic and How Is It Different from Other Plastics?” Tavalon Tea Australia & New Zealand, Tavalon Tea Australia & New Zealand, 8 May 2024, www.tavalon.com.au/blogs/blog/what-is-tritan-plastic.

“Nalgene Outdoor Manufacturing with Recycled Materials.” Waste 360, Waste360, 9 Nov. 2023, www.waste360.com/waste-recycling/nalgene-outdoor-increases-its-commitment-to-manufacturing-with-recycled-materials.

Okunade, Ibrahim. “Is Tritan Plastic Better than Traditional Plastic?” RSS, Green Hive, 14 Aug. 2023, www.greenhive.io/blog/tritan-plastic.

Processing Guide for Tritan Copolyester, www.eastman.com/content/dam/eastman/corporate/en/literature/s/spmbs1465.pdf. Accessed 5 June 2024.

Stonecash, Matt. “Nalgene Bottle Production Completes Conversion to Certified 50% Recycled Material.” Plastics Technology, Plastics Technology, 21 Apr. 2023, www.ptonline.com/news/nalgene-bottle-production-completes-conversion-to-certified-50-recycled-material.

Team, Nalgene. “Long Live the NALGENE Bottle! Understanding the Life Cycle of Recycled Plastic Bottles.” Nalgene, 25 Aug. 2023, nalgene.com/lifecycle-of-recycled-plastic-bottles/.

“Thermo Scientific Nalgene Wide-Mouth Economy Bottle, 250 ML (2189-0008) US/EU/UK.” ACT, act.mygreenlab.org/thermo-scientific-nalgene-wide-mouth-economy-bottle-250-ml-2189-0008-useuuk.html. Accessed 5 June 2024.

Ava Vincent 

DES 40A 

Christina Cogdell 

5 June 2024 

Nalgene: Refill Not Landfill 

It is important that brands who profit off of environmental aesthetics and brand themselves as “eco-friendly” and “sustainable" actually practice what they preach. Nalgene likes to say that it's “Born from Science” and “Made in the U.S.A,” and through the use of scientific knowledge to create systems that minimize its carbon footprint (which includes keeping all of Nalgene’s production in the U.S.A), to the development of new methods of plastic production that give single-use plastics a longer life cycle, Nalgene Outdoor has reflected the values of these slogans in their products. Starting at the very beginning, the first plastic pipette jars were created by Chemist Emanuel Goldberg in 1949, who named his creation Nalge using his wife’s initials (NLG). Since these bottles were lightweight, some of the Nalge scientists took them hiking, which sparked the bottles' popular use in the wilderness. In 1970, the Carry In/Carry Out trend caught on, and using reusable water bottles on hiking and adventuring trips was marketed as essential. From this, Nalgene Outdoor emerged. The energy used in the production of a Nalgene water bottle begins with its use of Tritan or Tritan RENEW plastic in all parts of the water bottle, continuing to its more sustainable transportation system due to its sole production in the U.S, and ending, hopefully more often than not, with the recycling of the product by users and possible repurposing of the plastic to turn a once linear life cycle into a circular life cycle. 

Nalgene bottles are made from a plastic material called Tritan, which has many highly beneficial qualities. Tritan plastic is very durable, meaning that its products last longer and don’t

need to be discarded and replaced as often. Additionally, the plastic is chemically resistant, meaning that it is safe to clean without degradation, and is dishwasher safe. Furthermore, Tritan is BPA and DMIP free, meaning it is safe and eco-friendly (Drinique). This copolymer plastic is made from the monomers dimethyl terephthalate, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (Food Packaging Forum). Dimethyl terephthalate is a diester that results from the condensation of terephthalic acid with methanol (National Library of Medicine), which involves the use of fossil fuels. It is frequently used in the production of polyesters and plastics. 1,4-Cyclohexanedimethanol, produced by a catalytic hydrogenation of dimethyl terephthalate, is a glycol modifier for resins. 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol is a cyclic aliphatic diol monomer, which is used to “synthesize high-performance functionalized polyester materials”(Catalysis Communications). The production of plastic, including Tritan, is very difficult to make eco-friendly. The raw materials used in the creation of plastic, such as cellulose, coal, natural gasses, and crude oil (Plastic Explained), are not extracted sustainably, and the process of making plastic uses fossil fuels, releasing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. Plus, the chemicals and chemical processes utilized in the making of plastic are very toxic and can have highly hazardous byproducts. Furthermore, there is a large amount of water used in the manufacturing to cool down the machinery. Overall, the process of making Tritan plastic, and in turn Nalgene water bottles, is not environmentally friendly. The production of plastic requires processes and materials that, so far, are mostly done unsustainably by many companies. Nalgene has recently taken a step forward towards sustainability with the creation of their new “Sustain” line that uses Tritan RENEW. 

Tritan RENEW plastic shares all the same beneficial properties and as Tritan, it is just created from plastic waste instead of newly produced plastic. It uses a process called molecular

recycling to repurpose such waste. This process breaks down plastics into their original chemical components, so that they can be used to make a new product. This process is revolutionary because breaking plastics down to such a small level allows for the quality of the material to be maintained, which is sometimes an issue when using recycled waste. This issue of quality is often a reason why many companies choose the less sustainable option of producing more new materials instead of using recycled waste. Tritan RENEW uses up to 50% recycled waste (Nalgene website), allowing these single-use plastics to be transformed into something much more durable that has a longer life cycle. A water bottle from Nalgene’s new “Sustain” line made from certified recycled material is equal to eight single use bottles, and, in fact, Nalgene has repurposed more than 2.35 million pounds of plastic since 2020 when the “Sustain” brand was launched (Nalgene Website). Furthermore, this process lowers the use of fossil fuels in the production of new plastic, leading to greenhouse gas emissions being reduced by 20-50% at the intermediate level when compared to other fossil fuel reliant processes (Eastman). In addition to Nalgene’s focus on more sustainable plastic production methods, the company has reduced its carbon footprint by limiting their transportation needs. 

Nalgene takes into account the effect their manufacturing and transportation of materials and products can have on the environment, which is why all of Nalgene’s material sourcing/producing and manufacturing takes place in the U.S. Most of the Nalgene products are manufactured in Rochester, N.Y, with Tritan being produced in locations across the U.S., and Tritan RENEW being produced in Kingsport, Tennessee (Nalgene Website). Other brands, which use manufacturing sites and material sourcing in countries that do not have the same environmental laws as the U.S. does, such as the Clean Air Act, have a much larger carbon footprint than brands that use U.S. factories (Nalgene Website). Furthermore, some of the

countries that other companies manufacture in often exploit their workers, and make them work in very dangerous conditions – moreover showing how manufacturing in locations that do not have the same human labor laws that the U.S can have harmful effects (Nalgene Website). It is important to note that the Eastman Chemical Company (the company that produces Tritan and Tritan RENEW) does, in fact, have manufacturing sites located across the U.S.A., Europe, and Asia; although, this Tritan is used by other companies, not Nalgene (Eastman Chemical Company). Moreover, the transportation of materials and products internationally releases huge amounts of greenhouse gasses since the products have to travel thousands of miles across the ocean, and the transportation of these materials and products internationally can take anywhere from around thirty to one hundred days (Nalgene Website). Furthermore, once this product reaches the U.S, it has to be transported from the port it arrives at to whatever facilities are selling it. This shows how brands, like Nalgene, that keep all levels of their production in the U.S release incredibly less amounts of emissions compared to other brands. 

A Nalgene bottle is made of very durable materials that can last nearly fifty years if a user does not discard it before then. If discarded by a user, Nalgene bottles end up either being recycled or in the landfill. Nalgene bottles are made from #7 plastics, which are accepted by most residential and commercial recycling programs (Nalgene Website). Unfortunately, this process relies on users recycling their bottles, and often, water bottles are discarded elsewhere. Numbers from the EPA show that only about 29% of plastic bottles make it to the recycling plant (EPA), so the life cycle of a Nalgene bottle is rarely circular. When plastic is thrown into landfills, it can take from twenty to five-hundred years to decompose, and even then, they don’t fully disappear, they just become smaller and smaller particles known as microplastics. Microplastics are often generated when “large synthetic polymer products, such as plastic

packaging, are not properly disposed of or treated”(National Library of Medicine). Microplastics pollute all kinds of natural environments; everything from the deepest parts of the ocean, to unoccupied islands, to the most distant polar regions can be affected. Since these microplastics can be found practically everywhere, all aspects of wildlife, including humans, can be harmed. Additionally, since they are micro-level in size, they are easily ingested by animals. Reports have shown that microplastics smaller than 100 nm can affect almost all organs once in the human body, and if accumulation of this plastic occurs, there could be extraordinary detrimental effects to the health of humans and other animals. Also as a result of their incredibly small size, they are almost impossible to remove, meaning once the damage is done there is no going back. Since Nalgene relies on plastic to maintain its branded qualities as a durable yet lightweight material, they are unlikely to steer away from using it, and therefore, the life cycle of a Nalgene water bottle will continue to include such drawbacks. Although, there is hope for the future of Nalgene and what the company will continue to come up with to lessen the negative impact their products have on the environment. 

Overall, Nalgene’s water bottles made from Tritan are eco-friendly in that they are reusable and can be recycled. Most reusable water bottles are more sustainable than single-use water bottles after only around six refills, so choosing a Nalgene will practically always be more sustainable than a single-use bottle. But still, there is the issue of fossil fuel use and release of emissions in the creation of Tritan plastic; and of course, the fact that only a small amount of plastic waste is actually recycled, leaving most of Nalgenes products with a linear life cycle. Meanwhile, Nalgene’s “Sustain” bottles do much more for the environment compared to the rest of Nalgene’s brand, and especially compared to single-use plastic bottles. The production of Tritan RENEW is in a single location, reducing emissions released during transportation, and the

products use molecular recycling to repurpose recycled plastic waste, allowing for a circular life cycle to take place. Nalgene Outdoor is already a better choice environmentally than a single-use plastic water bottle, and since the birth of the company in 1970, Nalgene has taken steps forward to make their carbon footprint as small as possible, while still giving customers an affordable, attractive, and durable product.