Coca-Cola Enterprises launches UK's first on-the-go Recycling Zone
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.
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For further information please contact: Chocolate Communications, RZ@chocolatecom.co.uk. Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8322 1922.
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 .
Recycle Now
Recycle Now is the national recycling campaign for England, aimed at encouraging more of us to recycle more things, more often and to understand the positive benefits of our actions.
Created and delivered by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) on behalf of the Government, Recycle Now was launched in 2004 and supports the achievement of recycling targets - most notably to help increase the national recycling rate to 40% by 2010 (currently at 33%)
Recycle Now encompasses an integrated mix of advertising, website support (www.recyclenow.com), schools activities and an integrated, broad-based PR campaign.
In addition, Recycle Now also works closely with key third parties including local authorities and retailers to deliver positive, consistent messages to the public at national and regional level to encourage increased recycling.
More information about WRAP's work with local authorities and retailers can be found at: www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities www.wrap.org.uk/retail
About WRAP
Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.
Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP's work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England. www.wrap.org.uk
About Thorpe Park
THORPE PARK is part of Merlin Entertainments Group, the leading name in location based, family entertainment that has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over the last five years. The world's No 2 visitor attraction operator, Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees.
Bigger than Universal and second only to Disney, Merlin Entertainments brings together LEGOLAND, Madame Tussauds, British Airways London Eye, SEA LIFE, Gardaland, Dungeons - as well as national brands such as Alton Towers, THORPE PARK, Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo, Warwick Castle and Heide Park. All brands which are distinctive, challenging and innovative - and which have great potential for growth in the future. Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.
THORPE PARK is open for the full season from 15 March to 9 November 2008. Visit www.thorpepark.com for more information.
About Recoup
Recoup is the UK's leading authority on plastics waste management, providing specialist plastics recycling consultancy and project support to our members and a wide range of clients across the plastics supply, use and recycling chain. Founded in 1990, Recoup has invested continuously in research, development and equipment to support UK plastics recycling programmes.
Plastics recycling can form an important part of a sustainable waste management programme. Recoup helps organisations to maximise their plastics recycling opportunities and shape socially responsible plastics packaging
recycling programmes. Through Recoup Services Ltd we can help to maximise the value of your collected plastics packaging, and we buy and sell a range of baled plastic materials. To find out more about Recoup, see www.recoup.org.
