On March 18, 2025, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) released the Design Standards for PET Beverage Bottles (Draft), aiming to enhance environmental sustainability. These changes focus on increasing recyclability, reducing plastic consumption, and promoting the use of sustainable materials.
Key Design Standards:
1. PET bottles components
To improve the recyclability of PET bottles, the draft sets detailed design requirements for body, label and cap of PET bottles.
Components | Standards |
Body | 1. The bottle must be made only from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) without adding any other substances. However, this does not apply if a bottle containing substances other than PET is proven to be safe, hygienic, and recyclable. 2. The bottle must not be colored. 3. The handle must be made of either non-colored PET or polyethylene/polypropylene with a specific gravity of less than 1.0. 4. Printing on the bottle is not allowed, except for small markings such as expiration dates, manufacturing facility codes, or lot numbers. |
Label | 1. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) must not be used. 2. The label must be separable from the bottle during the recycling process, such as air classification or washing. 3. The printing ink used on the label must not adhere to the bottle. 4. Do not use aluminum-laminated labels. |
Cap | 1. Aluminum and PVC must not be used. 2. The main material must be polyethylene or polypropylene with a specific gravity of less than 1.0. 3. If glass balls or packing are used, instructions on how to remove them must be clearly indicated on the label. |
2. PET bottles weight limit
The draft introduces strict weight limits for PET bottles (excludes label and cap) based on their type and capacity, ensuring reduced plastic consumption.
Type | Capacity | Weight Limits |
Filling sterilized contents aseptically and at room temperature after pre-sterilization. | / | V(ml) × 0.0139 + 14.2 |
Heat-resistant | ≤500ml | V(ml) × 0.0164 + 16.8 |
500ml-1500ml | V(ml) × 0.0235 + 13.3 | |
>1500ml | V(ml) × 0.0098 + 33.9 | |
Pressure-resistant | / | V(ml) × 0.0136 + 17.2 |
Heat and pressure resistant | / | V(ml) × 0.0178 + 17.7 |
3. PET bottles Sustainable Materials
Each PET bottle must contain at least 15% eco-friendly materials, which include:
Recycled plastics meeting Japan Industrial Standards (JIS Q 14021)
Bio-based plastics derived from renewable organic sources (excluding fossil fuels)
ChemLinked Comments
The draft reflect Japan's proactive approach to environmental sustainability in packaging. As global regulations on plastic waste tighten, these changes could drive innovation in the beverage industry and encourage enterprises to adopt more eco-friendly packaging solutions. Stakeholders should assess their current PET bottle designs and explore compliance strategies to align with these upcoming requirements.
