The Coca-Cola Company recently announced that it is fundamentally reshaping its approach to packaging, with a global goal to help collect and recycle the equivalent of 100% of its packaging by 2030.
This goal is the centerpiece of the Company’s new packaging vision for a World Without Waste, which the Coca-Cola system intends to back with a multi-year investment that includes ongoing work to make packaging 100% recyclable. This begins with the understanding that food and beverage containers are an important part of people’s modern lives but that there is much more to be done to reduce packaging waste globally.
“The world has a packaging problem – and, like all companies, we have a responsibility to help solve it,” said James Quincey, President and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “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.”
The Company and its bottling partners are pursuing several key goals:
• Investing in the planet: 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 is investing its marketing dollars and skills behind this 100% collection goal to help people understand what, how and where to recycle. We will support collection of packaging across the industry, including bottles and cans from other companies. The Coca-Cola system will work with local communities, industry partners, our customers, and consumers to help address issues like packaging litter and marine debris.
• Investing in packaging: To achieve its collection goal, The Coca-Cola Company is 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. By 2030, the Coca-Cola system also aims to make bottles with an average of 50% recycled content. The goal is to set a new global standard for beverage packaging. Currently, the majority of the Company’s packaging is recyclable.
World Without Waste is the next step in the Company’s ongoing sustainability efforts, building off success in replenishing an estimated 100% of the water it uses in its final beverages. The Company achieved and exceeded its water replenishment goal in 2015, five years ahead of expectations. These efforts are part of the Company’s larger strategy to grow with conscience, by becoming a total beverage company that grows the right way.
“Bottles and cans shouldn’t harm our planet, and a litter-free world is possible,” Quincey said. “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.”
In Malaysia, Coca-Cola’s recycling initiatives in Malaysia are already underway through strategic partnerships with universities, waste management companies and environmental NGOs.
Coca-Cola Malaysia works with Waste Management Association of Malaysia (WMAM) and the State Education Department in southern region to bring 3R awareness to 180 schools in the three states.
In partnership with Universiti Putra Malaysia, the “Recycle 2 Cycle” was the first of its kind project in Malaysia when it began that encouraged students to recycle PET bottles and aluminum cans in exchange for bicycle transport on campus, which directly reduced carbon emissions and further reinforced UPM’s status as the nation’s greenest university.
Continuing its goal to educate and instill a sustainable lifestyle among the future generation with the 3Rs – reuse, reduce, recycle – the recycling initiative has now expanded to a total of 5 universities in Malaysia under the “Recycling @ Universities” program.
Coca-Cola staff also participate regularly in community clean ups such as the “Wipe Out Waste at Pulau Ketam” organised by the Malaysian Nature Society where the company is also nurturing a long-term recycling programme with the community.
In recognition of these projects and company’s extensive in house solid waste management system, Coca-Cola Malaysia received the Appreciation of Best Practices on Solid Waste Management 2017 by Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government in conjunction with National Recycling Day.
Globally, The Coca-Cola Company will work to achieve these goals with the help of several global partners: the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative, The Ocean Conservancy/Trash Free Seas Alliance and World Wildlife Fund (Cascading Materials Vision and Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance). Coca-Cola will also launch efforts with new partners at the regional and local level and plans to work with its key customers to help motivate consumers to recycle more packaging.
