Fw: [GreenYes] Coke to be Commended

["Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org>]

ON 12/20/01 PETER ANDERSON SAID:
The answer is that Coke is living up to their promise and 
then some.  They promised to use 10% content by 2005 
and they are on track to reach that target by next year. 

BILL SHEEHAN REPLIES
Coca-Cola deserves credit for making progress towards 10% 
recycled plastic and, equally so, for participating in an 8-month 
multi-stakeholder process that is about to produce a report 
that could break the log jam in increased beverage container 
recovery.  A "Multi-Stakeholder Recovery Report" is almost 
finished and due to be released the second week of January, 
just before the National Recycling Congress in Seattle.  The 
MSRP report engaged a range of consultants (RW Beck, 
Franklin Associates, Tellus & Sound Resources Management 
Group) to provide a fresh, unbiased look at beverage 
container recovery costs and effectiveness.  Coke took some 
real risks getting involved with this.

True, Pepsi is now the "baddest boy" in town -- they shunned 
the MSRP process, are using 0% recycled content, and even 
recently reportedly terminated use of recycled content in 
Gatorade after acquiring the brand.  

But GRRN's eye is solidly on "the ball" -- the unconscionable 
annual wasting of 114 billion single-use beverage bottles and 
cans in the U.S. (this is the figure for 1999 from the MSRP 
report).  Closed loop recycling is important but just one part of 
creating a more sustainable beverage industry.  The solution 
must involve both supply and demand elements, as well as a 
hard look at life cycle issues associated with container 
materials and the relative merits of reuse vs. recycling.

To their credit, Coca-Cola understands big picture 
sustainability and system-wide thinking.  GRRN is holding both 
Coke and Pepsi to the 25% promises they made in 
December 1990 because it makes sense.  There is no way 
we are going to achieve plastic recovery levels in the 80% 
range without market disruptions unless Coke (and others) 
increases demand by using significant levels of recycled 
content.  

Sure, GRRN will press Pepsi harder now to start using 
recycled content in plastic bottles, and will give Coke points, 
but we don't for a minute want to give Coke the idea that 10% 
recycled content in plastic bottles is enough to create a 
sustainable beverage industry.

******************************************
To post to the greenyes list,
email to: greenyes@grrn.org

Subscription information for
this list is available here:
http://www.grrn.org/general/greenyes.html
******************************************