The reuse of bottles reduces the carbon footprint
Preliminary studies developed within the framework of the reWINE project show that the reuse of wine bottles supposes a saving of 2.3 kg of CO2 after 8 uses. The final results will be announced at the ens of the project, in February 2020.
Within the framework of reWINE, the eco-innovation studio Inèdit, partner of the project, has conduct a preliminary environmental assessment of the system for collecting and washing wine bottles proposed by the project. They analysed life cycle with the data obtained after performing 8 reuses of a limited sample of wine bottles for different scenarios. Then comparing those results to the production of the equivalent new bottles and among scenarios.
The reuse system of wine bottles proposed by REWINE takes into account the complete life cycle of the bottle, from its manufacture, labelling and distribution to the market to later recollecting it from the wine cellars, recycling centres, restaurants and stores, and wash it. The three wineries participating in the pilot test are located in different places in Catalonia and have a different distribution and collection logistics. For this reason, Inèdit has analysed the data in each one of the scenarios and after performing 8 reuses of a limited sample of wine bottles. These reuses have experimentally achieved during the execution of the project.
In the case of the Falset Marçà cooperative, wine bottles are distributed in the restaurants of Falset and the bottles are taken to Infinity, a washing plant in Villena (Alicant). The carbon footprint generated after performing 8 reuses of a bottle is a saving of 0.99 kg CO2eq in front of 8 new bottles.
The second scenario is Vins Pravi winery, which has a bottle washing facility in the same winery and distribute to restaurants in the provinces of Barcelona and Lleida. This case is the most favourable, since the carbon footprint generated presents a savings of 2.32 kg of CO2eq (approximately 0.33 kg CO2 saved by bottle in each reuse). This is because the transport of the bottles is to the washing plant avoided.
Finally, Albet i Noya wines are distributed to Veritas stores in Barcelona, they are stored and brought to Infinity facilities. The carbon footprint of this scenario represents a cumulative saving of 0.56 kg CO2eq in the 8 reuses (approximately 0.08 kg CO2 eq bottle for each bottle reused).
These results, although preliminary, allow us to consider the system for the collection, washing and reuse of wine bottles, as a way of helping to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the bottle of wine. In addition, they allow studying which washing and logistics systems are more favourable to achieve this objective.
Inèdit will also evaluate the scenarios of the other participating wineries: Talcomraja, La Vinyeta, Torres and Mas Argany.