The Coca-Cola System in Great Britain (‘Coca-Cola’) has unveiled bold plans to recycle all colourless Coke and non-Coke branded PET plastic disposed of at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This pledge forms one part of Coca-Cola’s approach to achieving its most sustainable sponsorship activation to date.
Coca-Cola is working in association with SITA UK, LOCOG’s Waste Management partner, to recycle all clear PET plastic waste from the Olympic Park, using it within 80 million new Coke bottles that will be produced within six weeks of the Closing Ceremony. Estimates suggest that this will translate to one fifth of the consumer waste produced at London 2012 venues, taking LOCOG a considerable way towards delivering its target of sending zero waste to landfill with at least 70% of all waste being reused, recycled or composted.
Photo: A snapshot from the Coca-Cola Great Britain website
Colourless PET plastic waste will be recycled at Continuum Recycling, Coca-Cola Enterprises’ new joint venture recycling facility with ECO Plastics. Based in North Lincolnshire, Continuum Recycling will open in early 2012—more than doubling the current production of food grade recycled PET plastic in the UK from 35,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 75,000 tonnes.
To ensure the 2012 Games is a low carbon event, Coca-Cola is cutting the carbon footprint of its distribution by a third. Coca-Cola Enterprises has invested in a state of the art Voltaic Warehouse from which products will be supplied to London venues. Only HFC-free coolers with LED lighting and doors will be used in Olympic and Paralympic sites. In addition, 14 biogas trucks will be introduced to deliver products that will continue to be used for deliveries in the London area after the Games.
Coca-Cola’s extensive sustainability roadmap for London 2012 sets out stretching commitments across waste, climate change, and health & wellness, which have been designed to leave a legacy of improved sustainable living in the UK for consumers, suppliers, and Coca-Cola itself as a business.
Other key commitments made by the Coca-Cola System include:
- At all London 2012 venues, packaged Coca-Cola products will be served in 100% recyclable plastic bottles which will contain up to 25% recycled content (rPET)
- Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero drinks will be served in PlantBottle packaging containing up to 22.5% plant based material as well as 25% rPET
- Coca-Cola will work with LOCOG and WRAP to trial a new, simple waste system that it hopes will become a blueprint for major sporting events in the future
- Coca-Cola has placed 260 recycling bins in locations around the centre of London. On Oxford Street alone, these bins are collecting over a tonne of recyclable material every day
Coca-Cola is working in association with WWF at every stage of it journey to London 2012 and has incorporated their environmental recommendations into its sustainability strategy.