FAQ on Watertree pods

Our packaging falls under the UBC category.
UBCs are categorised within the PAPER category under the national waste segregation scheme.  Hence, they can be collected along with paper in the paper stream for recycling. Main reason is that UBCs are mainly made of paper and the end destination for recycling is at the paper mill.

The plant-based cap is created from sugarcane which is processed into ethanol and eventually plastic. So to be clear, the bio-cap is plastic but its creation has a much lower carbon footprint than plastics derived from fossil fuels.

Our re-cycling partner, KPT has pioneered a process where they can separate out the component materials of our packaging: paper, aluminium and plastic. The paper can be directly recycled into high quality paper products such as cardboard boxes or high strength paper. Our packaging consists of highly fibrous paper, which is commercially valuable. So KPT has established a nationwide network (e.g. Alam Flora etc) that collects and resells used packaging. The plastic and aluminium components are combined to form a composite material that can be used to make roof tiles, bins and desk tops. The water used in this separation process is filtered and re-used and does not produce any toxic outflow into the local environment.

The Watertree Project has been selected to be a part of Tetrapak's Go Nature, Go Carton campaign which sources grown-for-purpose timber from sustainable plantations that raise seedling timber for the specific use of the renewable and recycling industries such as The Watertree Project.
So we are NOT chopping down trees from pristine or old-growth forests.
These plantations exist in addition to, and sequester and prevent logging to old growth trees,  so that our jungles and forests are not touched, and remain the green lungs of the planet.

It’s difficult to put specific numbers on carbon footprint as there are so many factors involved in the calculation - e.g. energy used in finding and creating raw materials, material processing , transport and power budgets used by shipping and factories etc.
However, since our product is mostly paper, it is reasonable to assume it has a lower carbon footprint than a plastic water bottle.
But we also chose Tetrapak as a supplier largely for the potential to effectively recycle and the ability to degrade in a landfill.
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We chose Tetrapak packaging for the following reasons:-
Their supply chain is among the most sustainable in the world today (and continues to improve).
The packaging consists of between 75% paper, so easily compostable in landfills.
This paper is harvested from sustainably managed fast growing forests (FSC: Forestry Stewardship Council) - so no old growth forests are disturbed.
The plastic cap (used for food security reasons) is made from sugarcane (it is still a plastic but not derived from fossil fuels).
For health reasons, our packaging does not contain any BPA or BPS - it is our understanding that some plastic water drinks contain one or more of these carcinogenic chemicals.
The recycle options for our packaging are more effective than plastic bottles and worst case, our packaging can degrade in a landfill.

Plastic waste bottles are made from fossil fuels - the process of drilling for oil is massively carbon intensive (also the methane released into the atmosphere is 20 times worse than CO2).
Plastic water bottles can take a long time to degrade in landfills (typically 400 years).
Plastic water bottles in landfills eventually begin to leech chemicals into the soil, which enters the underground water system and eventually ends up in fish and humans.
The process of recycling plastic appears to be massively carbon intensive and requires a very sophisticated waste management system.