Page 25 - Plastics News Issue - January 2025
P. 25
COMPANY NEWS
or plastic bottles or in fountain dispensers with of activists, professionals, and consumers mate-
reusable packaging by 2030. rialized immediately after Coca-Cola announced
its updated sustainable packaging goals.
The new goal for refillable packaging is fuzzier.
The company says it plans to keep investing in The day after Coca-Cola’s announcement,
refillable packaging in markets where infrastruc- #BreakFreeFromPlastic (BFFP) issued a press
ture already exists but hasn’t cited quantifiable release with a blistering statement from BFFP
targets. global coordinator Von Hernandez: “Coke's
latest move is a masterclass in greenwashing,
Coca-Cola’s recycling/collection approach has ditching previously announced reuse targets,
changed, as well. In its 2021 World Without and choosing to flood the planet with more plas-
Waste Report, the company’s collection goal tic they can't even collect and recycle effective-
was to “collect and recycle a bottle or can for ly. This only reinforces the company’s reputation
each one we sell by 2030.” Now the company is as the World’s Top Plastic polluter.”
aiming for a 70% to 75% collection rate for the
bottles and cans it puts into the market each Ocean-conservation group Oceana, in its own
year. press release, delivered a similar reaction. “Co-
ca-Cola’s decision to double down on single-
In terms of packaging recyclability, Coca-Cola’s use plastic — by killing its goals to reduce vir-
previous goal was to make 100% of its packag- gin plastic and to increase reusable packaging
ing recyclable globally by 2025. With the new — is short-sighted, irresponsible, and worthy of
year dawning, the clock is running out on that widespread condemnation by its customers, its
one. However, the company says more than employees, its investors, and governments wor-
95% of its primary packaging is designed to be ried about the impact of plastics on our oceans
recycled, and that it’s working to make the re- and health,” said Matt Littlejohn, Oceana senior
mainder recyclable. vice president of strategic initiatives.
Consumers fire back. Source – Plastics Today
Backlash from environmentalists within the ranks
January 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 25
