Health concerns over BPA (Bis-Phenol A) found in Polycarbonate, have resulted in a tendency to shift from Polycarbonate to PET for 5-gallon returnable water cooler bottles. The main challenge for PET in this application has been the lack of secure and ergonomic handles to lift and carry the heavy bottles.
Polycarbonate bottles can be extrusion blow molded with a secure handle on the side. Although convenient for carrying the bottles, such extrusion blow moulded handles are hollow inside, and are therefore difficult to clean properly, which may lead to contamination and unhygienic water. Additionally, such handles make it difficult to lift up bottles from the floor, because one has to bend low to catch the handles, putting strain on the back.
PET bottles are produced by stretch-blow-moulding, a process that cannot produce bottles with integrated handles. To solve this problem, a separately moulded handle needs to be assembled on the bottle, adding costs and recycling difficulties, as such a handle is usually moulded from a different material.
CYPET’s innovative design and development team has successfully developed the unique handles, meeting all the set criteria:
- Hygienic - does not interfere with the cleaning of the bottle inside.
- Ergonomic - a slight bending of the knees is enough to reach the handle and lift the bottle, without straining the back.
- Sustainable – very easy to recycle, as the whole bottle with handle is made from PET that can be recycled back to food contact suitable material, for multiple re-use in a fully circular economy.
- No Risk of detaching – fully integrated and mechanically very strong.
