World's first resealable can aims to tackle plastic pollution: 'Changing the direction of industry'

Story by Susan Elizabeth Turek  msn.com  October 9, 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/world-s-first-resealable-can-aims-to-tackle-plastic-pollution-changing-the-direction-of-industry/ar-AA1rTPXs?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Canovation has developed a resealable aluminum can for those who want to reduce plastic pollution but fear their bubbly drinks will go flat in containers with wide-open, stay-on tabs. 

According to the Florida-based company's website, the surprisingly simple yet groundbreaking solution could work not only for the beverage sector but also for pharmaceutical storage, pet food packaging, household products, and more. 

Daniel Zabaleta, whom Miami's Local10.com described as "the brains" behind the Fort Lauderdale company, told the ABC affiliate that making a resealable aluminum can required a threading technique. 

"What we actually developed was a way to add threads to the outside edge of a conventional can," Zabaleta said. "That allows you to now screw in a cap, once the can is fully filled and ready to go."

Moreover, production is less expensive than traditional methods, so lower costs should eventually be passed on to shoppers.

As the report points out, this innovation comes at a time when the beverage industry is rethinking how it packages its products, with consumers playing a significant role as awareness grows about the problem of plastic pollution.

Watch now: Tour the Climate Science Fair with TCD

"It is also changing the direction of industry," clean water advocate Dave Doebler told Local10.com. "We're using our purchasing power to tell [the] industry that we want plastic-free options." 

Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, but plastic is not, and that is ultimately reflected in our environment.

Analysis from 5 Gyres Institute cited by Local10.com estimates that around 170 trillion plastic pieces are polluting Earth's oceans, harming marine life and even making its way into human bodies through seafood that has ingested microplastic particles, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.