Bottle recycling machines to encourage reuse of containers
Drink giant COFCO CocaCola Beverages Ltd has set up 2,000 smart waste-bottle recycling machines in schools and communities across Beijing since September, aiming to encourage the reuse of bottles and protect the environment.
The company, a joint venture between Coca-Cola Co and Chinese State-owned COFCO Corp, said it plans to launch such facilities in more public places in Beijing and other cities nationwide.
The smart recycling machines can help to classify the bottles, which will then go through deep cleaning and purification procedures and retexture production lines before being processed into new drink bottles.
Every year, Beijing residents use about 6 to 8 billion beverage bottles, which weighs 150,000 to 200,000 tons in total. Informal methods of recycling result in the waste of resources, and end up contaminating groundwater and soil, thereby presenting a threat to public health.
Safely recovering a single ton of bottles is equivalent to a reduction of three tons of carbon dioxide emissions, or planting 41 trees, or saving one ton of coal, or six tons of petroleum, according to Beijing Incom Resources Recovery Recycling Co Ltd, the provider of those 2,000 containers.
Consumers can scan the screens on the machines when they put in waste bottles, and get a certain amount of money back for each bottle they help to recycle. In 2012, Beijing Incom launched the first smart waste-bottle recycling machine in China. So far, it has sold waste-bottle recycling machines to more than 20 countries and regions.
Xu Guang, secretary-general of China Environmental Protection Foundation, said the waste-bottle recycling containers will help to strengthen consumers’ consciousness of waste recycling and the environmental protection of cities.
“This is directly related to our lives. The launch of the containers will help to alleviate the shortage of energy resources and the ecological pressures of cities, and guide people to actively lead a sustainable life-style,” Xu said.
Zhan Zaizhong, general manager of COFCO Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd, said the company aims to forge a long-term healthy living environment in the country.