Sharnbrook business helps protect marine life with new bottled water

A Bedford business has beaten all multinational soft drinks brands to market by launching an innovative new water brand that provides an environmentally sustainable solution to ocean-bound plastic waste.

NEO WTR, produced by Brookfield Drinks, based in Sharnbrook, will be the only water drink available in the UK, which uses a fully recycled ocean-bound plastic bottle, with a recyclable cap and label.

The 500ml bottle of Somerset-sourced spring water will be available to buy from the Tesco Express and Tesco Supermarkets across the UK from the beginning of June.

NEO WTR managing director Nigel McNally said: “The pressure is mounting on soft drinks manufacturers to provide solutions to prevent a global disaster.

"We've worked incredibly hard to bring this extremely worthwhile product to market. NEO WTR is a first for the category and a massive advancement in packaging for soft drinks. Our 100% Prevented Ocean Plastic™ bottle, offers an environmentally positive option that actively tackles the growing problem of ocean plastic.”

With projections suggesting that by 2050 our oceans could contain more plastic by weight than fish, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, NEO WTR has developed a bottle that can help to significantly slow the damage caused to marine life by ocean plastic pollution.

With 80% of ocean plastic pollutions entering via rivers and coastlines, every bottle of NEO WTR stops the equivalent of 1.7 plastic bottles entering the ocean and is made using discarded plastic that has been collected along coastlines at-risk of pollution.

Nigel said, “I'm proud knowing that we are helping combat ocean-bound waste plastic in regions that do not have the infrastructure to manage it, whilst also supporting the collectors in these areas to earn a fair and reliable wage, whilst helping to build recycling infrastructure and good working conditions.

“Consumers deserve a solution which allows them a more sustainable option to purchase bottled water when they are out and about and can’t use a refillable bottle to stay hydrated.

“The bottle is already made of recycled plastic and can be fully recycled in the usual way, so not only is it protecting marine life but also reducing the amount of virgin plastic produced to package our soft drinks,” he said. This in turn lowers the carbon emissions related to the production process.

The plastic meets regulatory health and safety standards, is traceable back to source and can be identified on-pack through its distinctive triangular logo.

NEO WTR is bottled at source and has an RRP of £1.25 for 500ml. www.neowtr.co.uk