BUSINESS OF RECYCLING

COCA-COLA PLEDGES COOL R500M

COCA-COLA has pledged $38 million, or more than R500 million, over three years to stimulate recycling industries across southern and eastern Africa. The move is part of the company’s contribution to taking care of the environment, said Maserame Mouyeme, director of communications and sustainability at Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa. “People matter, and our planet matters too. This investment will in turn create more than 19 000 income opportunities, many of them for women,” Mouyeme said. “We acknowledge the harm packaging can do, so, as part of our World Without Waste strategy by 2030, for every bottle or can we sell globally, we will take one back so that it has more than one life.” The beverage company also announced the launch of a new 500ml Bonaqua polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle made entirely out of previously used plastic. It will be available from March. As part of its World Without Waste global vision, Coca-Cola plans to make all primary packaging 100 percent recyclable and create packaging that is made from at least 50 percent recycled material by 2030. African News Agency (ANA)