Plastic Beverage Caps: Overview of Applications, Neck Finish Evolution, and Tethered Caps

Introduction:     

 

 

Plastic beverage caps are essential components used in various applications, including Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD), Still Water, Juice and Nectar Drinks, Dairy products, Sports and Energy Drinks, Ready-to-Drink Beverages, and Functional Health Drinks. These caps offer a secure seal, convenience, and ensure product freshness. Manufacturers select caps based on functionality, brand image, and consumer preferences. This article provides an overview of plastic beverage caps, their evolution, the significance of tethered closures, and the importance of staying informed about relevant regulations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Plastic Beverage Caps Application Overview:

 

 

Plastic beverage caps play a vital role in numerous beverage applications, providing functionality and ensuring product integrity. They come in different types, such as screw caps, flip-top caps, and spout closures are available to meet the specific requirements of different beverages. The image below displays the standard beverage caps currently used, each tailored to the appropriate beverage type.

 

 

 

The History – Neck Finish Evolution:

 

 

The neck finish of a bottle is crucial in determining the type and size of closure that can be used. It ensures compatibility and a proper fit between the bottle and closure, facilitating a secure seal, maintaining product freshness, and enabling convenient dispensing. Different neck finish standards such as Alcoa, Alaska, BPF, PCO, CSD26, and others have evolved over time, specifying dimensions and thread types for closures. The continuous evolution of beverage closures has been driven by the need for improved functionality, convenience, material cost reduction, and product integrity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tethered Caps:

 

 

Tethered closures play a crucial role in the beverage industry, addressing mounting environmental concerns surrounding plastic waste and marine pollution. These closures are specifically designed to remain securely attached to containers, preventing separation or loss. Thus, by reducing the release of these closures into the environment, they can be more easily and efficiently incorporated back into the recycling process. Mechanisms like hinges, flexible straps, or tethers are employed to achieve this attachment. In a concerted effort to combat plastic waste and promote improved waste management practices, numerous countries, including the European Union (EU) through its Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904, have enacted regulations mandating the use of tethered closures for specific beverage containers. It is important to note that starting from July 3, 2024, tethered caps will become mandatory in compliance with these regulations.

 

 

 

Perfect System Solutions from a Single Source:

 

 

 

NETSTAL specializes in providing customized system solutions for high-speed closure applications, utilizing their extensive application-specific knowledge to deliver efficient production systems. Through collaborations with top system partners, NETSTAL offers cost-effective solutions tailored to the specific requirements of closure applications. Their expertise encompasses a wide range of closures, including those for water, carbonated soft drinks (CSD), milk, sports drinks, special applications, and tethered caps, aligning with the EU directive.

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, please contact:

Netstal (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

99/349 Na-Nakorn Building, 9th Floor

Chaengwattana Road, Thungsonghong, Laksi,

Bangkok, 10210, Thailand

Tel: +66(0)-2-114-8389 Website: www.netstal.com