Responsible consumption: World Youth Festival introduces water in recycled plastic packaging

Special granules were used in the production of bottles

In Sochi, on the federal territory of Sirius, a large-scale World Youth Festival (WYF) is taking place from March 1 to 7. A platform for open conversation and exchange of opinions brought together 20 thousand young leaders in the fields of education, science, international cooperation, culture, volunteering and charity, sports, business, media, including 10 thousand foreign participants. For the first time in the history of the festival movement, teenagers from 14 to 17 years old take part in the event – 500 from Russia and 500 from abroad. Particular attention of the participants was drawn to sustainable development.

A sign of a special attitude towards the environment can be considered the fact that all drinking water at VFM is presented in packaging with the addition of recycled plastic. The festival’s sustainability partner, SIBUR, provided participants with Holy Source water in new packaging made from innovative Vivilen polymer granules containing up to 25% recycled plastic.

According to international research, polymer packaging has the lowest carbon footprint compared to alternative options. Moreover, SIBUR, as WFM’s partner for sustainable development, compensates for the entire carbon footprint of the large-scale international forum and takes another step towards the development of a circular economy in Russia. Free drinking water dispensing points are open on the Festival grounds, as well as vending machines and containers for collecting used bottles. Following the results of the Festival, plastic bottles will be sent for recycling and used, among other things, as secondary raw materials for the production of new polymer granules, from which new eco-bottles will be re-made.

Recycled plastic bottles collected through separate waste collection containers are used as raw materials for the production of pellets. Once collected, plastic bottles are sorted by color and stripped of labels, then sent for recycling. Here they are crushed into small pieces, thoroughly washed and dried, turning into flexa. From the processors it is sent to the SIBUR POLIEF plant in Blagoveshchensk (Republic of Bashkortostan). There, the flex, having passed incoming control and additional purification, is mixed with the primary polymer under the influence of high temperatures using a special technology. The result is an innovative Vivilen granule.

“As a company that understands the importance of developing a circular economy, Holy Source is interested in projects to use recycled plastic in its packaging. Of course, such initiatives require time and in-depth study, since food packaging must meet strict safety requirements. Strict quality control at each stage of production will allow you to be confident in the safety of packaging made from this material,” added Anna Fedorinova, Marketing Director of IDS Borjomi.

SIBUR Sustainable Development Director Maxim Remchukov noted that in its sustainable development strategy until 2025, the company has committed itself to promoting the recycling of at least 100 thousand tons of polymer waste annually – both as part of its own investment projects and in projects with partners.

“Vivilen’s production allows us to recycle up to 1.7 billion used plastic bottles every year. The World Youth Festival is an excellent platform for attracting the attention of the general public to environmental issues. We are glad that we have increased the environmental friendliness of a large-scale international event,” he emphasized.

Let us remind you that the World Youth Festival is held in accordance with the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to develop international youth cooperation. At the first meeting of the Organizing Committee, chaired by the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Sergei Kiriyenko, it was decided to hold the Festival on the federal territory of Sirius. The organizer of WFM is the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the operator of WFM-2024 is the Directorate of the World Youth Festival.