Oat Milk In Plastic Bottles Still Significantly More Sustainable Than Dairy

Even plastic packaging can’t negate the positive environmental benefits of choosing oat milk over dairy, according to MyEmissions founder Mathew Isaacs.

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Isaacs noted on LinkedIn that the plant-based brand Oato sells its oat milk in plastic bottles. 

Having previously used MyEmissions’ software product to calculate the overall impact of different milks and packaging choices, Isaacs concluded that plastic packaging is not enough to negate the overall sustainability of oat and other plant milks.

“Even though plastic cartons have a higher impact than alternatives like Tetra Pak, the emissions of the Oat Drink in dairy-style cartons is still less than half the emissions from cow’s milk,” explained Isaacs.

“The main takeaway is [that] drinking Oat Drink from a plastic container has a lower carbon footprint than traditional cow’s milk, and is an effective way to reduce carbon emissions”

Read more: Soy Milk Better Than Cow’s Milk For Cardiometabolic Health, Study Suggests

The problem with tetra-packs

Many recycling schemes do not accept tetra paks, and Oato noted in the comments on Isaacs’ post that, on average, three out of every four such cartons are not recycled correctly in the UK. In contrast, clear plastic milk bottles are all widely recyclable and do not contain the layered materials of tetra packs that make them difficult to sort correctly.

Furthermore, while Oato would prefer to use glass, the lack of a deposit return scheme – long campaigned for by groups like Trash Free Trails – makes that unsustainable, too.

“All things considered, we have the most environmentally friendly product (oat milk) in the more readily recyclable packaging,” explained Oato in the comments section of the LinkedIn post.

Around 84 percent of Americans are concerned about the amount of plastic waste generated by packaging, and major brands of all kinds are attempting to pivot away from the material. In August, Milkadamia launched “flat-packed” dehydrated oat milk to reduce overall packaging by 94 percent. This format also reduces weight, allowing for easier transportation.

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