Beginning yesterday, April 4, the first 100 percent recyclable beverage packages made with plants are readily available to people across the U.S. Just in time for Earth Month, DASANI and Odwalla are saying goodbye to their current containers and saying hello to the new PlantBottle—the first-ever fully recyclable plastic beverage bottle produced using plants.

Single-serve Odwalla packages are made from up to 100 percent plant-based materials with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. PET bottles for DASANI are made with up to 30 percent plant-based materials.

People in the U.S. will be among those enjoying refreshment from billions of PlantBottle packages that will reach store shelves this year. In 2010, more than 2.5 billion PlantBottle packages were available across nine countries. For 2011, that number is expected to double to more than 5 billion PlantBottle packages in more than 15 countries.

The rollout of PlantBottle packaging for DASANI will be supported by a national television spot breaking in April. Additional executions will include enhanced packaging graphics, as well as out-of-home, print, digital and point-of sale-advertising to build awareness for PlantBottle packaging. Odwalla’s marketing program includes coupons, print advertising, digital programs and new labeling Point-of-sale materials for in-store displays will feature attention-grabbing messages such as “Paper or Plastic? Try Plant!”

“It’s our goal to make traditional plastic bottles a thing of the past and ensure that every beverage we produce is available in 100 percent plant-based, fully recyclable packaging,” said Scott Vitters, General Manager, PlantBottle Packaging Platform, The Coca-Cola Company. “The national launch of DASANI PlantBottle packaging represents an important step toward reducing our carbon footprint, and the up to 100 percent plant-based, recyclable packaging used for Odwalla is the first of its kind in the beverage industry.”

In late 2009, PlantBottle was launched in the western U.S. and eight other markets around the world. To date, it is estimated to have eliminated the equivalent of 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or three million gallons of gasoline used to produce PET plastic bottles. Currently, The Coca-Cola Company is working to further technology so other plant materials can be used in future PlantBottle packaging.