Tether caps for all plastic bottles up to 3 liters (or about 100 fluid ounces), required in Europe since last summer, are not yet required in the United States.
But given California’s interest in dramatically reducing plastic pollution, and California-based Crystal Geyser’s decision to put tether caps on 8-ounce water bottles, The prospect of consumer regulations requiring bottle caps could soon emerge in America’s controversial cultural debate.
In fact, had it not been for the beverage industry’s opposition, California would have already approved and implemented a tethered cap requirement in 2018.
Before the facts about tethered caps are swept under the rug by expected experts, here’s a quick summary of the European Union’s regulatory intentions and results to date.
What is a tether cap and how does it work?
Simply put, a tether cap is a cap that remains attached to a plastic bottle even after you unscrew it. The secret lies in the design of the cap. In the example in the photo below right, the cap does not completely separate from the circular plastic band at the top of the bottle, but instead remains connected to the filament and partially separates from the band itself when the cap is loosened. The cap should look like this…
