Oregon winemakers will sell reusable bottles to reduce waste next year

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A sustainable glass bottle company is partnering with the same organization that runs the BottleDrop network to bring reusable packaging to Oregon wineries.

Since its founding in January 2021, Pacific-Northwest-based company Revino has developed a reusable glass bottle program to curb waste for Willamette Valley winemakers.

According to the brand, the U.S. is the only industrialized country without “refillable infrastructure” — and the Glass Packaging Institute reports 16.2 billion bottles and containers were shipped to the country just last year.

Revino aims to minimize this waste, with its reusable bottles that “offer emissions reductions of up to 85% compared to single-use bottles and can be refilled up to 50 times, breaking even on carbon emissions after the third reuse.”

Through the program next year, Oregon wineries can place their own labels on the bottles designed by Revino. After use, customers can return the packaging to a BottleDrop location before they’re sent to a washing facility to be used again.

In 2024, about 2.4 million bottles will be distributed across 30 wine brands that have already decided to join the program.

“Revino’s arrival will fill a crucial hole in Oregon’s wine industry by introducing a sustainable solution for glass bottle reuse,” Willamette Valley Wineries Association Executive Director Morgen McLaughlin said. “Their commitment to excellence in washing processes and quality control ensures that wineries can embrace a new packaging option with confidence.”

The company will collaborate with the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, the nonprofit behind BottleDrop, to make it all happen. The program will be an extension of Oregon’s Bottle Bill, which has been in effect since 1971.

“Consumers in Oregon are already familiar with our system, which gives us a lot of confidence we can help Revino get the bottles back to be reused,” OBRC VP of Strategy and Outreach Eric Chambers said.