Coca-Cola invests in recycling plant
Cooldrink bottles turned into PET flakes
Polyethylene terephthalate is the chemical name for polyester, a clear, strong and lightweight plastic that is widely used to package foods and beverages.
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa’s (CCBA) Namibia branch has signed an investment agreement with Namibia Polymer Recyclers to set up a recycling plant at Okahandja.
The aim of the collaboration is to increase plastic waste collection efforts countrywide.
The project — a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flaking plant – will transform discarded plastic beverage bottles made from PET material into PET flakes, which have an international market value.
This was revealed by CCBA Namibia’s general manager Pottie de Bruyn at the company’s media and stakeholder engagement meeting held in Windhoek last Friday.
PET is the chemical name for polyester, a clear, strong and lightweight plastic that is widely used to package foods and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water.
“The process involves the sorting, washing and shredding of post-consumer bottles into PET flakes, which will be returned to world-wide markets for further processing into recycled PET products or R-PET material,” De Bruyn said.
He has not revealed how much the company will invest in the plant, but said the investment will expand CCBA’s partnerships in Namibia to increase plastic waste collection efforts countrywide, in line with the Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste initiative.
Circular economy
“We are working toward solutions to create a circular economy that benefits society and works for our business,” he said. He added that the company has set ambitious goals for its business, to take responsibility for the packaging across its life cycle and reduce plastic waste pollution.
De Bruyn added that he is proud of the partnership they’ve have built over the years with the Plastic Packaging Group, with their waste collectors such as Rent a Drum, Medina Waste Management, Erongo Drum, Kleentek, Ngunga and John Henry Waste Collectors.
“Partnerships are an important element of this ambition, and today we are moving closer to delivering on our target of collecting 70% of PET for 2022,” he said.
According to him, CCBA has made sustainability integral to its business strategy, adding that profitability is important, but not at any cost.
“It is great to know that every PET bottle of our products you buy and enjoy will end up being collected and recycled by 2030,” he said.
The aim of the collaboration is to increase plastic waste collection efforts countrywide.
The project — a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flaking plant – will transform discarded plastic beverage bottles made from PET material into PET flakes, which have an international market value.
This was revealed by CCBA Namibia’s general manager Pottie de Bruyn at the company’s media and stakeholder engagement meeting held in Windhoek last Friday.
PET is the chemical name for polyester, a clear, strong and lightweight plastic that is widely used to package foods and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water.
“The process involves the sorting, washing and shredding of post-consumer bottles into PET flakes, which will be returned to world-wide markets for further processing into recycled PET products or R-PET material,” De Bruyn said.
He has not revealed how much the company will invest in the plant, but said the investment will expand CCBA’s partnerships in Namibia to increase plastic waste collection efforts countrywide, in line with the Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste initiative.
Circular economy
“We are working toward solutions to create a circular economy that benefits society and works for our business,” he said. He added that the company has set ambitious goals for its business, to take responsibility for the packaging across its life cycle and reduce plastic waste pollution.
De Bruyn added that he is proud of the partnership they’ve have built over the years with the Plastic Packaging Group, with their waste collectors such as Rent a Drum, Medina Waste Management, Erongo Drum, Kleentek, Ngunga and John Henry Waste Collectors.
“Partnerships are an important element of this ambition, and today we are moving closer to delivering on our target of collecting 70% of PET for 2022,” he said.
According to him, CCBA has made sustainability integral to its business strategy, adding that profitability is important, but not at any cost.
“It is great to know that every PET bottle of our products you buy and enjoy will end up being collected and recycled by 2030,” he said.
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