Coca-Cola Amatil will make all plastic bottles under a litre, as well as every water bottle, from recycled plastic by the end of the year in New Zealand.
More than half of Coca-Cola Amatil’s plastic bottles in New Zealand will be made from recycled plastic as of 2020, including brands such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Powerade, Fanta, and L&P, as well as Kiwi Blue and Pump water.
According to Richard Schlasberg, general manager of Coca-Cola Oceania, New Zealand will be one of the first countries in the world to exceed the company’s global sustainability goal on recycled plastic.
“As one of New Zealand’s largest beverage companies, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution to the plastic waste crisis. That is why over half of our plastic bottles will be made entirely from recycled plastic by the end of 2019.
“This is a big commitment to using more recycled plastic – one of the largest of its kind by a beverage company in New Zealand – and will significantly reduce the impact of our business on the environment,” he said.
The move goes beyond the NZ environment ministry’s Plastic Packaging Declaration, as all cans, plus glass and plastic bottles, made by CCA and Coca-Cola Oceania are already recyclable.
It will also dramatically reduce the amount of new plastic Coca-Cola Amatil uses in New Zealand, said Chris Litchfield, managing director of CCA New Zealand.
“Our move to substantially increase the use of recycled plastic means we will avoid using around 2,900 tonnes of new plastic and that’s incredibly positive for our environment. Already all the bottles and cans we make can be recycled, and this takes it a step further towards creating a truly circular economy,” he said.
