The drinks manufacturer announced that the opening of Continuum Recycling, Coca-Cola Enterprises’ new £15M joint venture recycling facility with ECO plastics, allowed over 10.5M bottles from London 2012 venues to be recycled within six weeks of disposal.
This will result in 42M new bottles; each containing 25% recycled content (rPET).
Simon Baldry, md of Coca-Cola Enterprises in Great Britain, said: “We set out a bold ambition to recycle everything we put on the Olympic Park.
42M rPET bottles
“I am delighted that through Continuum Recycling we have been able to recycle enough material from Olympic venues to use in 42M new rPET bottles within six weeks of people throwing them away.”
As part of Coca-Cola’s investment in Continuum Recycling it will also incorporate 14 new biogas trucks into its supply chain and a state of the art low carbon warehouse.
Sue Riddlestone, Bioregional ceo, said: “The strength of the Coca-Cola brand put the company in a unique position to trigger a significant shift in sustainable behaviour in the UK and leave a legacy of positive environmental change long after the Olympics.”
“They saw that potential, and they acted on it.”
Coca-Cola’s games in numbers
100% of bottles used at London 2012 games venues were completely recyclable.
73% of Coca-Cola’s drinks consumed were water, juice, low or no-calorie brands.
95% of bottled drinks produced by Coca-Cola were manufactured in Great Britain.
70% of visitors surveyed at London 2012 said they would be likely to recycle at home after hearing about the speed a plastic bottle can be recycled.
