The First Central Enterprise-Led PLA Bottled Water Project Launched!

[Biobased Energy and Materials] It was learned that on September 16, Anhui Fengyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd.On October 18, 2023, China South-to-North Water Diversion Group Cultural and Tourism Development Co., Ltd., Beijing Jiahe Fengyuan Technology Co., Ltd., and the Anhui Bengbu government officially signed a cooperation agreement to jointly promote the development of the polylactic acid bottled water project.

This time, the three parties will leverage their respective core strengths to carry out comprehensive cooperation. The division of labor among the three parties is as follows:

Anhui Fengyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd.: As a leading enterprise in the field of biomanufacturing, it will leverage its mature industrial layout and production experience to promote technological research and development as well as the transformation of technological achievements into practical applications.

Fengyuan Bio currently has an annual production capacity of 20,000 tons of polylactic acid bottled water preforms and caps. Leveraging its full industrial chain technology advantages, the company achieves full industrial chain green production from renewable resources such as straw and corn to eco-friendly packaging products, replacing the traditional petrochemical industry with bio-manufacturing. Polylactic acid bottled water can effectively address multiple environmental issues such as microplastic pollution, the intensification of the greenhouse effect, and the challenging degradation of plastic pollution, providing a practical solution for the green transformation of the packaging industry.

Beijing Jiahe Fengyuan Technology Co., Ltd.: will leverage the production and market promotion of the entire industrial chain products of the biomaterial polylactic acid.

China South-to-North Water Diversion Group Cultural and Tourism Development Co., Ltd.: will integrate cultural tourism resources and ecological resources to help projects achieve a diversified value fusion of "technology + industry + cultural tourism".

China South-to-North Water Diversion Group Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China South-to-North Water Diversion Group Co., Ltd. (a state-owned enterprise). As the first central enterprise in China to promote the polylactic acid bottled water project, it actively pursues the mission of ensuring that the Chinese people have access to good water and can use it well.

The tripartite collaboration will focus on industry pain points and development needs, leveraging resource sharing and complementary advantages to address challenges in industry chain coordination. It aims to promote the downstream industries related to polylactic acid towards high-quality, green, and integrated development.

The implementation of the project is expected not only to drive the high-quality development of the bottled water industry but also to provide a replicable and promotable cooperation model for the green transformation and upgrading of China's bottled water industry. This is of great significance for enhancing the overall competitiveness of the industry and aiding the implementation of relevant national strategies.

Besides Fengyuan Group, there are only a few companies at home and abroad that have developed PLA water bottles.

On November 5, 2023, Xinjiang Zhonggao Green Biotechnology Co., Ltd. successfully developed and trial-produced China's first PLA biodegradable drinking water bottle in the Urumqi Comprehensive Bonded Zone.

In October 2024, Spanish companies Nua Cosmetics, ITC Packaging, and ADBioplastics collaborated to develop a compostable bio-based bottle made of polylactic acid (PLA) for the Biositivo brand under Provei Global.

On February 28, 2025, Liverpool bottled water brand Win Win Water announced the launch of its natural alkaline electrolyte mineral water in 100% plant-based biodegradable bottles. The PLA mineral water bottle, including the body, label, and cap, is made from Luminy polylactic acid (PLA) provided by TotalEnergies Corbion (TEC).