Sprite to retire iconic green plastic bottle

File: Coca-Cola

After more than 60 years, Sprite will retire its iconic green plastic bottle. The Coca-Cola Company made the announcement Wednesday that it is changing the packaging from the iconic green plastic to clear plastic starting Aug. 1, 2022.

This change is part of its broader effort to become more environmentally responsible, the company said. Currently, the green plastic bottle contains green polyethylene terephthalate (PET), an additive that can’t be recycled into new bottles.

“Taking colors out of bottles improves the quality of the recycled material,” Julian Ochoa, CEO of R3CYCLE, a plastic group helping Coca-Cola improve its recycling, said in a statement. “When recycled, clear PET Sprite bottles can be remade into bottles, helping drive a circular economy for plastic.”

Three other beverage bottles under the company will also change their look, including Fresca, Seagram’s and Mello Yello.