Frequently Asked Questions

What about refillable containers like S’well or Klean Kanteen?

Our research tells us that consumer behaviour isn’t changing fast enough to combat the global plastics crisis and believe that substituting plastic with a sustainable alternative is a step in the right direction. In an ideal world, everyone would use a refillable bottle- it's our best defence against single-use plastics. If you choose to buy packaged water, please consider the environment.

What are “biodegradable”, “oxo-biodegradable” or “plant-based” plastics?

Be mindful when selecting alternatives to traditional plastic (PETE/PET), there’s a lot of miscommunication and fancy language out there!

Nearly every material will biodegrade, given enough time. But the length of the biodegradation process is highly dependent on environmental parameters such as humidity and temperature, which is why claiming that a plastic is “biodegradable” without any further context (i.e., in what timeframe and under what environmental conditions) is misleading to consumers.

Reputable companies will often make more specific claims, primarily certifying that their bioplastics are compostable. Compostable plastics are a subset of biodegradable plastics, defined by the standard conditions and timeframe under which they will biodegrade. All compostable plastics are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable plastics would be considered compostable.

Biodegradable:
Currently biodegradable plastics cannot be recycled in the same way as non-biodegradable plastic. Biodegradable packaging can only be commercially composted, and only when it meets the appropriate composting standard – Australian Standard (AS 4736—2006). Even when made from plant based materials such as PLA, biodegradable bottles cannot be recycled in the yellow bin, and will contaminant recycling/landfill if misplaced.

To minimise the impact on the environment, compostable items should be separately collected and go to a composting facility. If you’re unsure you can request evidence of certification from suppliers if not provided.

Oxo-Biodegradable:
While often confused with biodegradable plastics, oxo-degradables are a category unto themselves. They are neither a bioplastic nor a biodegradable plastic, but rather a conventional plastic mixed with an additive in order to imitate biodegredation. Oxo-degradable plastics quickly fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, called micro-plastics, but don’t break down at the molecular or polymer level like biodegradable and compostable plastics. The resulting micro-plastics are left in the environment indefinitely until they eventually fully break down, and those particles can be extremely problematic for all life on earth.

Bioplastic (Plant-based plastic):
Bioplastic simply refers to plastic made from plant or other biological material instead of petroleum. It is also often called bio-based plastic. It can either be made by extracting sugar from plants like corn and sugarcane to convert into polylactic acids (PLAs), or it can be made from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) engineered from microorganisms.

Depending on the type of polymer used to make it, discarded bioplastic must either be sent to a landfill, recycled like many (but not all) petroleum-based plastics, or sent to an industrial compost site.

Industrial composting is necessary to heat the bioplastic to a high enough temperature that allows microbes to break it down. Without that intense heat, bioplastics won't degrade on their own in a meaningful timeframe, either in landfills or even your home compost heap. If they end up in marine environments, they'll function similarly to petroleum-based plastic, breaking down into micro-sized pieces, lasting for decades, and presenting a danger to marine life.

Do aluminium cans have a coating inside?

All beverage cans are sprayed inside and outside with a food-safe polymer during manufacturing. The polymer protects the contents from the can and the can from the contents, without it, the aluminium would degrade within as little as 2-3 weeks spoiling the beverage.

During the recycling process, aluminium won't melt until 660 degrees. Still, the paint/lacquer/labels and the sprayed-in polymers vaporise in a heat tunnel well before this temperature during a cleaning process which captures burnt-off materials by extraction vans. After this process, the aluminium is ready for melting into ingots and later sold back to can manufacturers. Metal recycled forever, so 100% of the aluminium can be used again, and again.

Why is plastic so poorly recycled?

Simply put, plastics recycling is broken because it’s cheaper to produce virgin plastic than using recycled plastic. This unfortunate fact means there’s little incentive for companies to process or purchase recycled plastic made from the fossil fuel oil and gases. The result is more and more virgin plastic being created, which ends up in landfill or oceans.

On the other hand, aluminium’s high-scrap value ($2,000+ per tonne) is directly linked to the energy saving benefits of recycling aluminium. Recycling aluminium uses just 5% of the energy and cost required to produce new aluminium, so there’s a strong incentive for everyone in the supply chain to recycle aluminium.

Do you filter your water?

Yes, our water is micro-filtered as it comes out of the ground and passes through UV treatment for disinfection. Our spring water does not require or use any chemical treatment.

Do you add anything to your water?

Absolutely not, our water is delivered to you as nature intended. We are pleased to provide the highest quality naturally alkaline spring water, and we’re proud to use 100% Australian spring water which we package at the source.

Is your water alkaline, and does it contain natural minerals?

Our water is alkaline with a natural pH of 8.1 and contains plenty of natural minerals and is particularly rich in;
- Magnesium (32 mg/L)
- Calcium (23 mg/L)
- Sodium (36 mg/L)
- Bicarbonate (240 mg/L)