Pac Tech unveils packaging with 25% recycled resin, creating 500 new jobs
Pac Tech International, the Puerto Rican company behind Cristalia Premium Water, has begun using bottles made with 25% recycled resin as part of a new regional sustainability effort.
The initiative, carried out in partnership with Reciclaje del Norte, is expected to generate more than 500 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, according to the company.
The recycled resin will be produced at Pac Tech’s new “Renacer” plant in the Dominican Republic, the first facility in the region dedicated to food-grade plastic recycling.
The facility supports a closed-loop circular economy model that collects, processes and converts plastic into packaging material suitable for human consumption — addressing plastic waste levels that exceed global averages across the Caribbean, company officials said.
“This initiative not only symbolizes our commitment to reducing environmental impact but also represents a practical and innovative solution to close the life cycle of plastic materials,” said Etienne Orillano, director of sales and marketing.
“Choosing this packaging means betting on change and the circular economy: it contains 25% recycled resin and reflects a new way of consuming with purpose,” he added.
Pac Tech International, a bottled water producer with two decades of operations in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, distributes its flagship Cristalia brand through major retailers such as Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Walgreens, Econo, Selectos and Pueblo. According to the company, Cristalia is the best-selling bottled water brand in Puerto Rico.
The project also seeks to address low recycling rates and excess waste in Puerto Rico, which generates 3.7 million tons of waste annually but recycles only 9% to 15% — compared to the U.S. average of 32%. Only five of the island’s 29 landfills meet federal Environmental Protection Agency standards.
The new facility is also part of the Caribbean Circular Alliance, a multi-country initiative of private and public partners that promotes circular economy practices, policy alignment and regional cooperation across eight Caribbean nations. Pac Tech plans to use the alliance to extend sustainable practices and improve waste management across the region.
Equipped with high-capacity technology, the company’s operations can produce more than one billion half-liter bottles per year. The introduction of recycled resin at this scale aims to cut environmental impact while strengthening Pac Tech’s economic contribution.
Pac Tech is part of Grupo Diesco, a Latin American conglomerate with operations in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Colombia, and distribution in 25 countries. The project continues Grupo Diesco’s regional investment in packaging innovation, job creation and sustainability.
