Coca-Cola Enterprises Launches UK's First On-the-Go Recycling Zone

Friday, May 23, 2008

Today, Coca-Cola Enterprises and WRAP will launch an innovative new scheme that will enable people to recycle away from home, with the UK's first "on-the-go" Recycling Zone at Thorpe Park in Surrey.
The launch marks the first step in a three year vision to create 80 Recycling Zones by 2011. Forthcoming locations will include other theme parks such as Alton Towers, shopping centres, and major international travel hubs.

The new scheme builds on consumer interest in recycling. It has been praised by Joan Ruddock MP, Minister for Waste, who said: "With a target of increasing the national recycling rate to 40% by 2010, programmes such as the Recycling Zone from Coca-Cola Enterprises are vital to the UK hitting its targets.  I very much welcome this initiative and hope the Recycling Zone programme, which I am delighted to launch today, ensures people recycle more, at home and on-the-go."

Peter Ronchetti, Divisional Director at Thorpe Park, added: "This is a fantastic initiative and we are proud to be the first location to implement a Recycling Zone. Thorpe Park has considerable potential for recycling, with over 421,000 bottles and cans sold every year."

The Recycling Zone at Thorpe Park will comprise six recycle points, which will be clearly highlighted through signage (at the recycle points themselves, at point-of-sale, and on maps of the site). As well as encouraging people to recycle their empties there and then, the scheme is also intended to remind people to think about recycling as part of their everyday life.

Erika Coghlan, VP, Coca-Cola Enterprises Limited, said: "People often have good intentions but convenience is key. We wanted to put the Recycling Zones in locations where people need them when they're on-the-go - and make it easy for them to choose to recycle."

Dr Liz Goodwin, CEO at WRAP said: "WRAP's Recycle Now campaign has helped to make recycling an increasingly important part of our daily lives. The new Recycling Zones are a great step towards providing a practical solution for us all to recycle when we are out and about. This will mean we can now start to do things differently and recycle more things, more often, when we are on the go as well as in our homes."

In partnership with recycling charity, Recoup, the programme will also offer up to 15 days technical consultancy to each participating location to enable them to adopt best practice for collection and recycling for drinks cans and bottles.

Coca-Cola Enterprises created the Recycling Zone concept as part of its commitment to minimising the environmental impact of its products and operations, and has worked in close partnership with WRAP and Merlin Entertainments Group to implement the scheme. CCE continually looks for ways to encourage its consumers to recycle more, and all of its recyclable packages carry a prominent "Recycle Now" message.

Notes to editors

About Coca-Cola Enterprises
Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd is a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc, the world's largest marketer, producer and distributor of the products of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC).  Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd manufactures and distributes TCCC products, as well as products for other brand-owners, throughout England, Scotland and Wales, and employs around 4,600 people.

Coca-Cola Enterprises is committed to minimising the environmental impact of its products and operations. It is particularly focused on sustainable packaging, water stewardship, and energy and climate protection, and has made good progress in these areas, although there is still more to be done. For example in Great Britain, energy use across manufacturing operations has been reduced by 16% since 2001; packaging has also been reduced - the iconic glass Coke bottle is now 20% lighter; the amount of water used per litre of product has been cut by 21% since 2001; and 90% of waste at sites is now recovered or recycled.
For more information about Coca-Cola Enterprises, please visit www.cokecce.co.uk .