All 500ml Coca Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero bottles sold in the UK will now bear the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL), as part of soft drinks giant Coca Colas effort to increase plastic bottle recycling.
The OPRL label gives consumers standardised information about which packaging materials are commonly collected by local authorities collect for recycling. The single label, which is intended to make recycling less confusing for consumers was launched in March 2009 (see letsrecycle.com story).
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Over 150 manufacturers now use the on-pack logo on their products including Associated British Foods, Britvic, Kellogg’s, Premier Foods, Rachel’s Organics, Robert Wiseman Dairies and Weetabix.
The scheme is operated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) under a company called OPRL (On-pack Recycling Label) Limited and is supported by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
BRC
British Retail Consortium Director of Food and Sustainability Andrew Opie, said: The On-Pack Recycling Label has become a familiar sight to consumers in the three years since it was introduced. Its great to welcome Coca-Cola Enterprises to the list of nearly 150 signatories, particularly because of what we hope this will mean for plastic bottle recycling.
Just five out of every 10 plastic bottles sold in the UK is recycled and we would like to see much more. Coca-Colas adoption of our recycling logo means thousands more people will be reminded every day how easy it is to stop plastic bottles ending up in landfill.
The relevant OPRL logo plastic, widely recycled will appear initially on 500ml bottles of Coca-Cola, Coke Zero and Diet Coke sold in Great Britain, but will be introduced over time across other products and packs made by Coca Cola Enterprises.
Packaging
Patrick McGuirk, Coca-Cola Enterprises recycling director, said: We are serious about setting the industry standard for sustainable packaging and are committed to transforming recycling in this country.
Our bottles and cans are easily recycled and our research shows consumers will recycle more if they know what can be recycled. We have had a recycling logo on our packs for many years but the inclusion of OPRL information makes it easier for consumers to recycle their bottles through kerbside collection schemes.
Our message is simple recycle your bottle at home and it can be back on the shelf within six weeks.
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