Today, goods producers are focused on recycling as intensely as never before. Along with global coffee chains and manufacturers of household cleaning products, the recognized leaders in the soft drinks industry are also introducing new innovative and state-of-the-art technologies and programs to help give a second life to used packaging. Recently, Popsop wrote about the online extension of PepsiCo’s Dream Machine initiative and now Coca-Cola introduces a Reimagine Beverage Container, a new addition to its extensive list of projects focused on recycling.
The Container, developed by Coca-Cola Recycling in collaboration with Environmental Products Corporation (Envipco), is designed as a center to accept used aluminum cans and #1 PET plastic bottles (not only Coke branded) and partly process them on site. The new machine can ‘swallow’ several containers at a time—you just put the cans and bottles into a special bin, and then the system puts them onto a belt, then scans, sorts and send them to get crushed. Coca-Cola is going to install its pilot Reimagine unit at a shopping center in Arlington, Texas, on November 30.
“Reimagine can store up to 65,000 crushed cans. More than 95% of those cans will be remade into new cans and can be back on store shelves in as little as 60 days. Reimagine can store up to 18,000 bottles. These bottles will be made into new products you might never imagine—like clothing, backpacks, carpet, and even new bottles,” explain the developers of the project on the dedicated website. Consumers receive points for each of the item they put into the Container: they can use them to donate funds to local schools through the My Coke Rewards Program or enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes.
“We know that people want to recycle but when recycling is difficult or inconvenient, too many used beverage containers end up as waste. We believe that Reimagine will grow recycling by making it easy, accessible and fun,” commented John Burgess, president of Coca-Cola Recycling.
Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming launch.