SKOL Brewery Ltd on Friday, December 18, launched its first mineral water packaged in an eco-friendly returnable glass bottle – the first of its kind to be produced locally.

Branded Virunga Water, the new product is available in two variants; mineral and sparkling, and will be sold at a retail price of Rwf400 per bottle.

According to Ivan Wulffaert, the General Manager of SKOL Brewery Ltd, the new product proves the company’s commitment to observing environment-friendly policies.

He said: "80 percent of plastic bottles in the world never get recycled and it takes at least 450 years for one plastic bottle to completely degrade. Our company is committed to supporting the country’s agenda to fight against plastic while also continuing to offer more high-quality products to Rwandan consumers.”

Last year, the parliament passed a draft law prohibiting the manufacture, importation, use and sale of single-use plastic items in Rwanda.

Normally, single-use plastics are plastics that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled, which pollutes the environment at a very fast rate.

Among others, they include plastic bags, cups, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging materials.

According to Wulffaert, SKOL invested in a state-of-the-art water production line that respects the highest international quality standards and will enable the firm to produce about 40,000 bottles of pure mineral water per hour.

Speaking at the official launch of the product, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment, welcomed the move by SKOL.

She said: "This comes as a game-changer for us when it comes to conserving our environment as well as consuming clean and pure water packaged in glass bottles. A message to factories that produce water in plastic bottles is that now it has proven possible for us Rwandans to produce water in glass bottles.”

Currently, a person who intends to manufacture, use, and import or sell polythene bags and single-use plastic items or pack goods in polythene bags and single-use plastic items for exceptional reasons writes to apply for an exceptional authorisation issued by the competent authority.

Branded Virunga Water, the new product is available in two variants: mineral and sparkling.

Ivan Wulffaert, General Manager of SKOL Brewery Ltd.

Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment and Ivan Wulffaert, General Manager of SKOL Brewery Ltd officially launch Virunga mineral water.

Virunga mineral water will be sold at a retail price of Rwf400 per bottle.