Open Air Rockers Get Set To Recycle

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Thursday 12 August 2010: This weekend volunteers from drinks manufacturer Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) and youth volunteering organisation vinspired are making recycling rock as festival goers make the most of the Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival in Derby.

Following on from their attendance at the Isle of Wight Festival earlier this summer and Sonisphere at the end of July, volunteers from CCE and vinspired will be running a 'Swap for Swag Shop' a space where rockers will be able to swap plastic bottles for limited edition festival essentials made out of recycled PET.1

To make sure recycling is always the easy and accessible option, there will be15recycling points dotted around the Bloodstock site for people to drop their cans and bottles into.

CCE and vinspired volunteers will also be circulating the festival ground to ramp up enthusiasm for recycling and giving out bags to encourage people to collect empty bottles and swap them for limited edition swag at the Swap Shop.

The scheme has proved a hit with festival-goers to date. At Sonisphere alone, 23,800 PET bottles were swapped for 2,260 items and the Swap Shop received 1,682 visitors in three days. In all, over six tonnes of recyclable material was collected over the whole weekend.

The 'Swap for Swag' initiative offers people festival essentials like rain ponchos, torches and (a rare site at festivals) clean T-shirts in return for their empty bottles. Here's a list of what Bloodstock festival-goers can Swap for Swag:

• 10 bottles for 1 poncho
• 15 bottles for 1 torch
• 15 bottles for 1 neck tote
• 15 bottles for 1 cap
• 30 bottles for 1 T-shirt

CCE's presence at Bloodstock comes as part of its Keep It Going programme which, in partnership with Recoup, has set up recycling points in public spaces across Great Britain. Over 60 permanent recycling zones are currently in place, helping people recycle on the go in shopping centres, hospitals, theme parks and transport hubs.

CCE aims to give all PET plastic bottles a second life - to take this plastic back, wash it, break it down and turn it into new PET bottles for the next round of festivities. By 2012 Coca-Cola Enterprises aims to have 25% recycled PET in every plastic bottle it sells in Great Britain. Coca-Cola Enterprises Recycling Director, Patrick McGuirk said:

"Coca-Cola Enterprises is committed to making recycling easier and fun. Over the summer we've been working at various festivals and events. We're excited about engaging visitors to Bloodstock with our very cool 'Swap for Swag' shop and encouraging them to recycle.

It's not just about recycling at the festival, it's about inspiring people to recycle every bottle and can, every day. We want to show people what a difference recycling can make and the festival environment is a great place to spread this sustainability message. This was demonstrated by the amazing reception we got at Sonisphere, where visitors really embraced the scheme - and we hope to achieve similar results at Bloodstock. "

The Recycle Garden is being rolled out across various festivals and events throughout the summer including V Festival, Bloodstock and Creamfields.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) is a recyclable plastic that is commonly used for carbonated beverage and water bottles.

For more information contact:
Elisabeth Middlemas or Kate Ward at Coca-Cola Enterprises press office Tel: 020 7009 3802 Email: elisabeth.middlemas@3-monkeys.co.uk or kate.ward@3-monkeys.co.uk

About Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd
Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) is a UK based subsidiary of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc, the world's largest marketer, producer and distributor of The Coca-Cola Company's (TCCC) products.

CCE manufactures and distributes products for TCCC as well as products for other brand-owners, throughout England, Scotland and Wales, employing around 4,500 people in Great Britain across seven manufacturing sites and a number of regional offices and depots.

CCE is committed to minimising the environmental impact of its products and operations, with a particular focus on sustainable packaging, water stewardship, and energy and climate protection.

About vinspired
v, the national young volunteers service, is an independent charity dedicated to helping young people volunteer in ways that matter to them. www.vinspired.com

About Recoup
Recoup are a plastics recycling consultancy based in Peterborough. For over 20 years, Recoup has been a key player in the recycling of plastics, through setting up schemes to collect plastics to producing guidance documentation around the recyclabililty of plastic packaging. www.recoup.org