Innovative "One-Way" Four-gallon Recyclable Bottles Now Part of Katrina Relief Efforts
HOT SPRINGS, AR - Three weeks ago, Taylor Cranor was planning his introduction of a fully recyclable, no-deposit "one-way" four-gallon PET water bottle to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) during its annual convention. Cranor, Mountain Valley Spring Company's Director of Retail Sales, was going to use the NACS convention--scheduled for October 30-November 1 in New Orleans-as a key forum for showcasing the innovative bottle's advantages in emergency preparedness and other applications. The introduction of the bottle for emergency preparedness has now been accelerated due to events both unexpected and tragic. In an ironic twist precipitated by Hurricane Katrina, thousands of those four-gallon bottles-filled with Clear Mountain Spring Water-have arrived in the New Orleans area as a key component of emergency relief efforts there.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has placed an initial order for 216,000 of the bottles (the only four-gallon fully recyclable water package available in the U.S.). The bottle is manufactured by Veriplas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mountain Valley Spring Company.
"Returnable multi-gallon HOD dispenser-oriented sizes of spring water have emerged as a key retail segment within the bottled water category," said Cranor. "However, existing HOD retail programs burden consumers with both hefty bottle refill deposits and the inconvenience of returns to retailers. Our one-way nonreturnable four-gallon bottle provides the convenience consumers require-while also making life much easier for retailers."
"In addition to emergency preparedness, the one-way bottle also lends itself to commercial, residential, and recreational uses such as camping, boating, and tailgating," Cranor added.
The patent-pending design is the result of an 18-month process of development at Veriplas. The bottle is ultra light (only 307 grams of PET) yet can function under the atmospheric pressures created by bottled water dispensers. The bottles are manufactured using five percent PCR (post-consumer resin), a level considered high within the beverage container manufacturing industry.
Mountain Valley Spring Company may be found online at www.mountainvalleyspring.com. Veriplas may be found online at www.veriplas.com.