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WEST VALLEY CITY — It's still made the same way. It even tastes the same. Beginning this week, though, the bottle Sprite has come in for decades is changing.

"For the first time in 60 years, a very iconic and well-known brand, Sprite, is getting a little bit of a makeover," said Erica Hansen, external communications manager for Swire Coca-Cola.

Instead of the classic green plastic bottles, Sprite will now come in clear plastic bottles.

The Swire Coca-Cola bottling plant in West Valley City began the change this week. Wednesday afternoon, the popular 20-ounce bottles of Sprite made the change from green to clear.

It's a decision Coca-Cola made earlier this year because of sustainability and recycling efforts.

"Green plastic is a little bit harder to recycle. It's not quite as recyclable as clear plastic," said Hansen. "So, what happens is you get these little bits of green plastic in this big tub of clear, and it's got to be manually, and sometimes with a machine, removed from that big line of recycled plastic."

Swire Coca-Cola, which has a headquarters in Draper and serves 13 states across the West, thinks customers will understand the change.

"That's kind of a scary thing for a company because sometimes when it looks different, we think it's going to taste different so sometimes our minds can start to play with us," said Hansen. "But that shows the importance of sustainability for the Coca-Cola Company and Swire Coca-Cola."

The regular Sprite bottles will still have the classic green cap.

Sprite Zero, which has always come in a clear bottle, will keep the gray cap.

Aluminum cans of Sprite will remain green.

"Green aluminum isn't as problematic as green plastic so they will stay the same," said Hansen.

The change to clear plastic will also happen to other popular Coca-Cola drinks in the fall, such as Fresca, Seagram's and Mello Yello.

"That shows the importance of sustainability for both the Coca-Cola Company and Swire Coca-Cola that it's time for us to be a leader," said Hansen. "We want to encourage people to recycle, and this is a way we're trying to help lead the charge."