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The Coca\u2011Cola Company on Monday announced updated voluntary environmental goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With regard to packaging, the company aims to use 35% to 40% recycled material* in primary packaging (plastic, glass and aluminum), including increasing recycled plastic use to 30% to 35% globally.<\/p>\n
Another goal is to help ensure the collection of 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually.<\/p>\n
The company offers beverages in a variety of packaging formats \u2013 glass and plastic bottles, aluminum cans and refillable packaging. \u201cEach option can play a role in helping reduce packaging waste and emissions,\u201d the company says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The company is focusing its efforts to use more recycled material in primary packaging and supporting collection rates, both of which require enabling policies and the growth of collection infrastructure. The company intends to continue to invest in refillable packaging where infrastructure already exists. The Coca\u2011Cola system aims to focus on measurable and interconnected actions under two pillars: Design<\/strong> and Partner to Collect<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The company is focused on ensuring that its primary packaging is recyclable. Almost all (more than 95%)** of the company\u2019s primary consumer packaging is designed to be recycled, and it is working to resolve the remaining packages.<\/p>\n The use of recycled content in primary packaging can help reduce the company\u2019s emissions. This effort, combined with innovations such as lightweighting, can avoid the additional use of virgin plastic. Costs, quality and scaling innovation are dynamic external factors that will affect implementation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe collection and recycling of beverage packaging remains challenging, as every state and country has unique systems, infrastructure, regulatory environments and sets of consumer behaviors,\u201d the company says. \u201cCollective action is needed to support packaging collection infrastructure and policies. The company will continue to focus on increased advocacy for well-designed collection systems, as these are often the most efficient ways to improve packaging collection rates.\u201d<\/p>\n If the company reaches its 70% to 75% collection rate ambition, it intends to continue working to further increase collection over the long term. \u201cThe company also intends to invest to expand the use of refillable packaging in markets where infrastructure is in place to support this important part of the company\u2019s portfolio,\u201d the company says.<\/p>\n Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation.<\/p>\n In response to Monday\u2019s announcement, the group was critical of Coca-Cola for ending the following goals included in the company\u2019s 2023 Environmental Update:<\/p>\n In response to this development, Oceana released the following statement from Matt Littlejohn, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCoca-Cola\u2019s decision to double down on single-use plastic \u2013 by killing its goals to reduce virgin plastic and to increase reusable packaging \u2013 is short-sighted, irresponsible, and worthy of widespread condemnation by its customers, its employees, its investors, and governments worried about the impact of plastics on our oceans and health.<\/p>\n \u201cCoca-Cola\u2019s new policy makes it likely that many more billions of single-use plastic bottles and cups will continue to flood into our waterways and seas. Oceana estimates that if Coca-Cola met its commitment to reach 25% reusable packaging by 2030 (up from its current share of 14%) the company could avoid producing the equivalent of over 100 billion 500ml single-use plastic bottles and cups and ensure that approximately 8.5 to 14.7 billion plastic bottles and cups could be prevented from reaching our waterways and seas.<\/p>\n \u201cThe company\u2019s new and weak recycling-related pledges won\u2019t make a dent in its overall plastic use. As the number one plastic polluter in the world \u2013 according to the Break Free From Plastic Brand Audit<\/a> \u2013 Coca-Cola has a responsibility to take real ownership over the waste and pollution it creates. Instead, it is kicking the plastic bottle down the road and into the sea \u2013 again. Coca-Cola\u2019s investors and governments around the world should take notice and take steps to hold the company accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n * Coca-Cola will continue to comply with local regulations, including where higher percentages of recycled content are required.<\/em><\/p>\nDesign<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Partner to Collect<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Oceana\u2019s Response<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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