ETHIOPIA – Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in Ethiopia has signed an agreement with 30 plastic bottle collection centers in Addis Abeba, to give a subsidy of up to 10 million Birr (US$185,579.40), aiming to boost polyethylene terephthalate plastic (PET) bottle collection rates.
CCB in Ethiopia has said the pilot project, will be implemented for one year in two phases.
The subsidy plan intends to provide 1,000 Birr (US$18.56) for every 1,000 kg of PET bottles collected by the collectors.
The firm says the condition of the subsidy disbursement is dependent on the collectors achieving the minimum collection rate for the month set in the agreement between them and CCBA in Ethiopia.
At the launch event, Daryl Wilson, CCBA in Ethiopia Managing Director, said: “We are committed to investing in our planet and helping make the world’s packaging problem a thing of the past.
“Together with The Coca-Cola Company, we have a global initiative called World Without Waste (WWW), which is a plan to collect and recycle 100% of the packaging we produce by 2030.”
Commenting on the launch, the Addis Ababa Cleansing Agency General Director Dr. Eshetu Lema noted: “Plastic bottle collection is one of the focus points for our agency. Beyond cleaning the city, the plastic bottle gives the collectors a sustainable income.”
“We really admire the initiatives that CCBA have undertaken in Ethiopia, for example changing the green Sprite bottle to clear which makes it easier to recycle.
“Today’s subsidy launch is another milestone in making Ethiopia clean and the support to the PET collection associations is meaningful. We commend this kind of assistance from the private sector and will continue to work with CCBA in Ethiopia.”
Meanwhile, CCBA has also set up PET collection centers nationwide and trained and empowered more than 15,000 women PET collectors.
The beverage giant has brought the PETCO South Africa model to Ethiopia and established PETCO Ethiopia, mobilizing other industry players and providing US$150,000 in initial funding.
“The Coca-Cola Company and all its bottling partners are leading the industry to help collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030. We’re working to bring people together to help make a World Without Waste a reality,” added Wilson.
The new initiative in Ethiopia is one of the many steps the company is taking to ensure the recycling and management of plastics.
Earlier, CCBA in Uganda through its initiative, Plastic Recycling Industries partnered with Stanbic Bank Uganda to help promote recycling and management of plastic waste.
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