Massive new facility will help address growing global issue: 'A landmark initiative'
The Nigerian sector of Coca-Cola recently announced plans to build a massive plastic collection facility in Apapa, Lagos. The facility, which the company calls "a landmark initiative," will process up to 13,000 metric tons — or 28.6 million pounds — of plastic bottles annually.
At the new facility, plastic bottles will be cleaned, processed, and sent to third-party companies for recycling into pellets or yarn for reuse as recycled plastic.
"This hub will serve as a critical center for collecting, sorting, and recycling PET plastics, which will significantly reduce plastic pollution in our environment," Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said in a press release.
According to Break Free From Plastic, The Coca-Cola Co. is ranked as the top plastic polluter in the world — a title it has held for six years straight.
Coca-Cola said the facility will help support its sustainability goals of using 35% to 40% recycled material in its plastic, glass, and aluminum packaging. Through the facility, the brand also wants to collect and process 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans it brings to market by 2035.
"This facility represents a significant milestone in our journey of reducing waste by collecting and recycling our packaging in Nigeria," Zoran Bogdanovic, chief executive officer of Nigerian Bottling Co., Coca‑Cola's bottling partner in Nigeria, said in the press release. "By investing in the hub, we are supporting local communities and creating jobs, as well as demonstrating our commitment to building a more sustainable future in a country that is integral to the success of our business."
Every minute, more than 1 million plastic bottles are bought worldwide, according to Beyond Plastics. And all that plastic can cause serious strain on the planet. At least 15 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. Experts predict that plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish by 2050 unless something changes.
Plastic also never truly biodegrades in the environment. It simply turns into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics, contaminating waterways, soil, air — everything.
But discarded plastics aren't the only environmental strain. So is plastic production. The United Nations Environment Programme calls the production of plastic one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing processes in the world. That's because plastic is made from fossil fuels such as crude oil, requiring intense mining, refining, and processing to create a final product. And in each step of the plastic-making process, a massive amount of planet-warming pollution is expelled into our environment.
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In 2022, Coca-Cola pledged to make 25% of its packaging reusable by 2030. But the company quietly removed the promise from its website earlier this year.
While Coca-Cola has made some strides toward sustainability, including powering production facilities with solar and supporting plastic cleanup efforts, the company has also made several missteps. The beverage giant recently debuted a commercial made by wasteful generative artificial intelligence, which can have a detrimental impact on the environment. The company also recently told investors it will increase plastic packaging if aluminum prices rise under the Trump administration's new 25% tax on metal imports.
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