The Coca-Cola Company recently announced plans to help collect and recycle the equivalent of 100% of its packaging by 2030 as part of a plan to fundamentally reshape its approach to packaging.

This new goal is at the heart of the company’s new packaging vision for a World without Waste which will see Coca-Cola investing in ongoing work to make its packaging 100% recyclable.

According to James Quincey, President and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, the world has a packaging problem – and, like all companies, he believes they have a responsibility to help solve it.

“Through our World without Waste vision, we are investing in our planet and our packaging to help make this problem a thing of the past,” he says.

Partnering for change

The company and its bottling partners are pursuing several key goals which include investing in the planet and investing in packaging.

“By 2030, for every bottle or can the Coca-Cola system sells globally, we aim to help take one back so it has more than one life,” the company explains.

In addition the company says its continuing to work toward making all of its packaging 100% recyclable globally. “The Company is building better bottles, whether through more recycled content, by developing plant-based resins, or by reducing the amount of plastic in each container.”

Closer to home

Speaking about the announcement locally, Kelvin Balogun, President of Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa says the company has already taken great strides in reducing, reusing and recycling its packaging.

“We have worked closely with our bottling partners, local and national authorities, and recycling partners to improve the collection and local recycling rate of our cans, plastics and glass bottles.”

Together with its partners the company has invested in two bottle-to-bottle recycling facilities at Extrupet and MPact, to create recycled PET for use in the beverage industry.

In South Africa Coca-Cola, its bottling partners and other members of the PET value chain helped to set up PETCO, the PET Recycling Company, which in 2016 achieved a recovery and local recycling rate of 55% of post-consumer PET bottles.

Leading the way

“Bottles and cans shouldn’t harm our planet, and a litter-free world is possible,” says Quincey wrapping up the announcement.

“Companies like ours must be leaders. Consumers around the world care about our planet, and they want and expect companies to take action. That’s exactly what we’re going to do, and we invite others to join us on this critical journey,” he concludes.