Coca-Cola’s $11M Global Plastics Cleanup Program Is Lambasted By Greenpeace

The Coca-Cola Co., stung by criticism that it is a major global polluter, reportedly has pledged $11 million dollars over three years to help clean up nine rivers across Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. Each clean-up project will use data from the captured waste in the rivers to change human behavior and create a less polluted world. According to the company, programs in Panama, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Ecuador, Mexico, Thailand, Jamaica, and Kenya are being funded. Longtime environmental critic Greenpeace USA issued a statement saying the initiative was “foolish.”  "Coca-Cola … wants people to believe it can capture this waste before it enters our oceans. This is as foolish as it sounds.” The company has spent millions of dollars, Greenpeace said, promoting the “false notion” that recycling and cleanup of plastic pollution solves the problem. “That is a lie.” The organization said the solution to the problem is to phase out single-use plastics and move toward reuse ...  More

"Choose France Summit: The Coca-Cola system announces a billion euros of investments over the next five years in support of sustainable development in France ", Coca-Cola , January 16, 2020

Coke Partners With Chinese Online Retailer JD.com To Explore Innovative Recycling Methods

Coca-Cola and China’s largest online retailer JD.com have partnered in a search for new plastic recycling technology. The Chinese company will apply its nationwide logistics system in a pilot project to help collect used beverage bottles from households. The collected bottles are being sent to recycling facilities in partnership with Coca-Cola, where they’ll enter the circular value chain. JD.com launched its Green Stream Initiative in 2017 to reduce the environmental impact of logistics activities. Between June 2017 and December 2019, the company cut use of disposable packaging by nearly 30,000 tons, saving a million tons of paper. Coca-Cola unveiled its World Without Waste initiative two years ago to help collect and recycle the equivalent of 100 percent of its packaging globally by 2030. The recycling partnership was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"Coca-Cola, JD.com to launch recycling program in China", JD.com, January 22, 2020

Coke Says Being “Plastics Free” Is A Distant Solution Because Customers Like Single-Use Bottles

Coca-Cola head of sustainability Bea Perez says pleasing customers is more important than ending plastics pollution, so the company won't be phasing out its popular single-use plastic bottles anytime soon. According to Perez, despite the company’s reputation as a global plastics polluter, customers like the bottles because they are lightweight and easily reseal. Getting rid of them, Perez said, would hurt sales. "Business won't be in business if we don't accommodate consumers," she said. The company plans to focus on recycling, promising to recycle as many bottles as it uses by 2030, to use 50 percent recycled materials in packaging by that date and to work with nonprofits to better collect its waste. Environmental groups argue that recycling is not the most effective solution to the plastic pollution crisis.

"Coca-Cola Says It Won’t Break Free From Plastic Bottles", EcoWatch, January 23, 2020

Boxed Water Introduces New Package Size

Michigan-based Boxed Water Is Better announced the addition of a 330-ml size to its line of water packaged in 100 percent recyclable and paper-based cartons. Also available are 250-ml, 500-ml and 1-liter boxes packed in six-pack, 12-pack and 24-pack configurations. The new package will be available at retail in the first quarter of 2020, as well as online at boxedwater.com and Amazon.

"Boxed Water adds 330-ml size to lineup", Beverage Industry, January 28, 2020

Italian Beverage Companies Showcase Clean-Label Drinks With Sustainable Packaging

Several Italian beverage companies, represented by The Italian Way - Food & Beverage Excellence (TIW), showcased products with “simple high-quality ingredients” and sustainable, eco-friendly packaging at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco last month. TIW exhibited three beverage brands: The Bridge (plant-based milks), Smeraldina (artesian water from the island of Sardinia), and Caffè Gioia (100 percent Arabica organic coffees). TIW is targeting the U.S. market because in 2018 the organic food market segment reached $48 billion, with a CAGR of 5.9 percent during 2017. TIW said 83 percent of U.S. consumers believe non-plastic packaging is more environmentally friendly, and 31 percent said they are “very concerned” about the environmental impact of plastic packaging.

"Italy eyes the U.S. beverage market for health-conscious, eco customers", Beverage Daily, February 04, 2020

Nestlé’s Henniez Mineral Water Brand Says All Bottles Made With 75 Percent rPET

Nestlé Waters mineral water brand Henniez announced that all of its plastic bottles are now made of 75 percent recycled PET plastic (rPET). The Swiss brand has been using 30 percent recycled PET since 2013 and hopes to eventually reach 100 percent locally recycled PET. Discarded PET bottles will be made into new Henniez recycled plastic bottles multiple times, without tapping into new oil resources. Three weeks ago, Nestlé committed to invest up to $2 billion to drive the shift from virgin plastics to food-grade recycled plastics. It also committed to speed up development of innovative sustainable packaging solutions. The Henniez mineral water brand celebrates its 115th anniversary this year. 

"Henniez mineral water bottles now made of 75 percent recycled plastic", Nestlé, February 07, 2020