Greentech Lead U.K: Coca-Cola said it has achieved its
target of recycling 10.5 million plastic bottles used at the London 2012
Olympic and Paralymic Games.
Coca-Cola, a sponsor of the event, held recycling
campaigns throughout the city. Recycle Beat, an innovative hybrid vehicle that
forms part of the Coca – Cola Beat Fleet, has been specially designed to promote
recycling across the country.
As part of its focus to recycle the bottles recovered
during the Games, Coca-Cola Enterprises also invested 15m pounds in a joint
venture recycling facility with ECO Plastics. The facility is expected to
double the UK’s ability to recycle plastic for reuse in new bottles.
Thanks to their efforts, the company was able to collect
most bottles back within six weeks. The bottles were processed in Lincolnshire
and were then sent to Coca-Cola’s factory in Wakefield to be made into new
bottles.
Coca-Cola sold an estimated 17 million bottles at Games venues, and collected
10.5 million for recycling. Their products at London 2012 were sold in
100 percent recyclable bottles containing 25 percent recycled content.
The beverage major is also pursuing other sustainable technologies.
Recently the company formed a partnership with JBF Industries to further expand
production of the plant-based material used in the Company’s PlantBottle
packaging.
PlantBottle package is the first recyclable PET plastic
bottle made partially from plants. Coca-Cola has sold more than 10 billion
PlantBottle packages around the world that are less dependent on petroleum and
have a lower carbon impact.