Coke doubles recycled plastic in bottles – and backs deposits

COCA-COLA is to double the amount of recycled plastic in its bottles and support a deposit and return scheme.

The global drinks giant said it would push up the ratio from 25 per cent to 50 per cent by 2020. But it added that this would only be possible if there were a huge rise in the number of bottles collected for recycling instead of being dumped.

As a result, the company is supporting the introduction of a small fee – perhaps 10p – which would be refunded when bottles are returned.

Such deposit return schemes already operate successfully in Germany and Scandinavia as well as parts of Australia, Canada and the US.

The firm’s move applies to all 20 of its brands, such as the Coca-Cola range, Sprite, Fanta, Smartwater and Schweppes. It also steps up pressure on Environment Secretary Michael Gove to introduce a deposit return scheme.

Campaigners and scientists have highlighted the threat of ‘plastic poison’ to the environment and oceans.

The Scottish Daily Mail’s Banish the Bottles campaign has encouraged action to tackle the problem through a bottle deposit return scheme.

Plastic bottle recycling efforts in Britain have stalled and an astonishing 1516million are thrown away every day.

Jon Woods, general manager of CocaCola’s British division, said: ‘All our bottles and cans have been 100 per cent recyclable for some time so in theory none should be littered. But we know that isn’t happening and that’s why we are going to do more.’

Chief executive at Keep Britain Tidy, Allison Ogden-Newton, called on other companies to follow suit.

But Louise Edge, for Greenpeace, said Coke’s action was limited to Britain and did not challenge ‘the culture of throwaway single-use plastic bottles’.