Abu Dhabi Minister of Climate Change and Environment Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said: “We are proud of the role Emirati private businesses play in supporting our nationwide drive towards sustainability. We hope to see more businesses across all sectors with the same level of awareness and commitment to reducing their footprint to ensure that the UAE remains sustainable well into the future.”

Named ‘Al Ain Plant Bottle’, the new product is environmentally friendly and said to be the region’s first water bottle made from 100% plant-based sources, including the cap.

Launched during the UAE Innovation Month, the bottle is biodegradable and compostable within 80 days.

The plants’ sugars are fermented and converted into special polymer materials. The obtained resin, which is free from petroleum or its by-products, is used to create the bottle.

According to the company, the packaging will improve the environmental footprint in terms of CO2 emissions.

The bottle has been developed at the company’s new Packaging Technology Centre in Al Ain.

On 24 July 2019, the centre was inaugurated and is used to create sustainable packaging technologies. Agthia seeks to achieve zero-landfill waste by the end of the year. It has committed to using 10% polyethene terephthalate (PET) from recycled sources and 5% plant-based sources by 2021.

“Innovation is at the heart of the country’s transition to the circular economy. The launch of Al Ain’s plant-based water bottle and Agthia’s other sustainability initiatives during the UAE Innovation Month is a prime example of how innovation can go a long way in driving environmental sustainability. I applaud Agthia for its strong commitment to integrating sustainability as a core value across its operations", said Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.