B.C. company using biodegradable PET

CHILLIWACK—Western Canadian water bottler, redleaf Water is now distributing biodegradable and recyclable water bottles.

The Chilliwack, B.C.-based company sources water from the Canadian rockies then puts it through a proprietary purification and bottling process.

Its new bottles, called BIO BOTTLES, take one to 15 years to biodegrade in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. They’re made of polyethylene terephthalate(PET) and an organic compound additive, but they can still recycled with other PET without any special handling, according to the company.

The BIO BOTTLES are produced by ENSO Plastics. It took the Arizona-based company three years to develop the process.

To promote its use of the new bottles, redleaf will be launching a “disappearing project” in spring 2011 demonstrating how the bottles disappear in various environmental conditions.