Do we still want single-use plastic?

Do we still want single-use plastic?

According to Coca-Cola Company, we do!

That’s why they will not ditch single-use plastic bottles any time soon.

The drinks giant produces about three million tonnes of plastic packaging a year – equivalent to 200,000 bottles a minute. Last year, four hundred and eighty-four clean-ups in over 50 countries and six continents, organised by the Break Free From Plastic movement, identified the top polluting companies. They are Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo., being the first one, the most polluting brand.

Believe it or not, and according to the giant, they are committed to creating a World Without Waste by taking responsibility for the packaging. Aspiring to create packaging that contains at least 50% recycled material by 2030 and continue pursuing the goal to make all consumer packaging 100% recyclable by 2025.

But the 2019 Greenpeace report Throwing away the future: How companies still have it wrong on plastic pollution “solutions”—states that companies as Coca-Cola are using bio-based plastics to replace some portion of conventional fossil-derived plastics in their beverage bottles which are later increasingly marketed as “biodegradable”, just to make it sound environmentally friendly but they include fossil fuel-based plastic.

Bea Perez, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications, Public Affairs, Sustainability and Marketing Assets Officer of The Coca-Cola Company spoke with the BBC during the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Her statements left us with the uncertainty about their commitment to the issue, but she is very positive about achieving their goals by 2030.

“Customers like them – single-use plastic bottles- because they reseal and are lightweight. As we change our bottling infrastructure, move into recycling and innovate, we also have to show the consumer what the opportunities are. They will change with us; otherwise, this could alienate customers and hit sales.” said Bea Perez.

Coca-Cola Amatil one of the largest bottlers and distributors of non-alcoholic and alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, and one of the world’s largest bottlers of The Coca-Cola Company range states that from this year, they will be using around 16,000 tonnes of recycled plastic each year and that they actively support large scale, cost-effective, well-run container refund schemes that improve recycling rates.

The concern is out there, we all talk about it, but are we all ready to take a step forward? One that involves us taking action daily? If you are committed, join TEAR Australia and their  ‘This Is A Rubbish Campaign’. It is a call to action to Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever to take responsibility for their plastic waste in poorer countries, as they have not yet made the commitments that are needed to adequately address the problem. They can do better. The Let’s talk rubbish is a free event hosted by Epping Uniting Church during their Neighborhood Nights, on 28 February (7.30 pm – 9:00 pm, including Q&A and supper).

If you want to take a step forward and are not sure of where to start or if you think you can do better but are running out of ideas of how you can contribute to reducing the amount of waste that we all generate daily, here are some very useful and simple tips:

Go green or go home… with these easy ways to be eco-friendly!

Go green or go home… with these easy ways to be eco-friendly!

Posted by Blossom on Friday, 24 January 2020
FirstMediaBlossom – easy ways to be eco-friendly

Angela Cadena

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