Coca-Cola Oceania and Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand have announced a major increase in their use of recycled plastic as part of a global commitment to help solve the growing packaging problem.
By the end of 2019, all Coca-Cola Amatil plastic bottles smaller than one litre and water bottles across all sizes will be made from entirely recycled plastic in NZ.
This includes packaging for brands like Coca-Cola, Sprite, Powerade, Fanta, and L&P, as well as Kiwi Blue and Pump water. The announcement makes NZ one of the first countries in the world to achieve and exceed Coca-Cola’s global sustainable packaging goal to increase its use of recycled plastic.
Richard Schlasberg, General Manager of Coca-Cola Oceania, says the commitment goes beyond the Ministry for the Environment’s Plastic Packaging Declaration, as all Coca-Cola Amatil and Coca-Cola Oceania cans, glass, and plastic bottles are already recyclable.
“As one of NZ’s largest beverage companies, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution to the plastic waste crisis,” Richard says.
“This is a big commitment to using more recycled plastic – one of the largest of its kind by a beverage company in NZ – and will significantly reduce the impact of our business on the environment.”
Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil NZ, Chris Litchfield, says the increased use of recycled plastic would dramatically reduce the amount of new plastic it uses in NZ.
“Our move to substantially increase the use of recycled plastic means we will avoid using around 2900 tonnes of new plastic and that’s incredibly positive for our environment,” Chris says.
“Already, all the bottles and cans we make can be recycled, and this takes it a step further towards creating a truly circular economy.”
The Coca-Cola Company has a global goal of reducing waste and collecting and recycling as many cans and bottles as it sells each year by 2030.
For more information, visit coca-colajourney.co.nz/sustainability.