Packaging

Which kinds of packaging material is Sonett using?

1. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)

We only use bottles, canisters, and closures made from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) with labels of the same material. PE and PP, plastics that are the easiest to recycle, do not release any toxic substances even when incinerated. We place special importance on the PE/PP used containing absolutely no softening agents.

2. Secondary packaging, cardboard packaging

All secondary packaging could be substituted with 100% recycling material thanks to adapting the bottling lines of the respective machinery.

Are there any alternatives to our PE bottles? Here our assessment of the plastics alternatives, present on the market nowadays:

1. Plastics derived from starch or polylactic acid

are obtained from genetically modified corn or using GMOs. Thus foils or injection-moulded packaging (e.g. tins) with short storage life of a few weeks are produced to be used once only.

2. Polyethylene with a certain content of minerals and or plant fibres, thus being able to reduce its PE content. We have tested the materials available on the market, and it is clearly manifested that they do not fulfil the required mechanical durability, gas permeability, pH stability, resistance to essential oils, etc. For laundry detergents and cleaning agents a minimum of 5 years of durability must be guaranteed.

3. Polyethylene made from Brazilian sugar cane  

Even though this PE is bio-based, it is not biodegradable. For its production, alcohol from sugar cane is chemically transformed into polyethylene having it react with ethylene. The PE thus obtained is chemically identical to the PE derived from petroleum. The cultivation of cane sugar is strongly connected with monoculture, herbicides, pesticides, the cultivation on areas originally virgin forest, and the use of genetic engineering. Due to the clearing of virgin forest areas as well as to the massive use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers, environmental organisations such as Regenwald.org or Greenpeace advise against the use of agro-alcohol for the production of plastics.

4. Recycled PET  (polyethylene terephtalate)

is to be found in food-grade quality made from processed PET bottles of mineral water, sorted by types. The difficulty here lies in the fact that hormone-like substances were found in the water kept in those bottles (University Frankfurt/Germany, 2009, University Würzburg, Prof. Schoenfelder, et al.). One quite rightly assumes that the effect of UV rays combined with humidity out of PET bottles makes phthalates being released, invading the bottle content. It is for this reason that we do not use any PET containers.

5. Plastics made from recycled PE

There definitely is recycled PE to be found on the market, material that we have tested with the result that it does not comply with our requirements. Even bottles made from best-cleaned recycled granulate smell of synthetic fragrances and other foreign substances. And no one knows whether they possibly contain residues of heavy metal. It is for this reason that recycled PE is not permitted for use in foodstuff.

The Sonett alternative therefore being: Rebottling and Recycling

Our researches and tests carried out in the past few years clearly have demonstrated that for Sonett the only way viable and ecologically admissible regarding the handling of plastics is that of rebottling and recycling. Since 2019 we have, therefore, taken back empty 10-l and 20-l canisters from more than 250 refill shops, have cleaned the canisters and replenished them again. All Sonett PE containers returned which cannot be refilled any more, are shredded and processed into new Sonett bottles. This way, plastics and CO₂ are saved to a maximum in the long run, as polyethylene is indefinitely recyclable.

Since 2021 the return of empty canisters has also been supported by the wholesale trade.